Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Chairman Chaudhry Arfan Yousaf said on Wednesday that annual budget 2018-19 should bring liberal investment policies for infrastructure development, broadening tax base and creating jobs.

Chairing a meeting here at FPCCI Regional Office, he added that government should develop trust of taxpayers as tax collection revenues ensure country's prosperity, health, education and other basic facilities. For this purpose, he suggested, awareness seminars and workshops should be priority, besides tax submission process should be simplified and business-friendly.

Chaudhry Arfan said that trade deficit needed to be controlled which was associated with export promotions, asserting that rupee devaluation was effecting all businesses and called for its remedial measures on immediate basis.

He called for putting in place a consistent policy for budgeting that should support programs/schemes in the long run and different agricultural zones should be introduced. This would enhanced agro-based industry from respective regions and could lead to increase in foreign reserves.

Efforts should be made for trade promotion, industrialization, balancing trade, increasing exports, and increasing the number of research centers and laboratories as well as ensuring strong linkage between industry and academia. Research should be focused on industrial growth and skill development while developing any education policy, he added.

The meeting was attended by various representatives of trade and industry.