Hub district in the province of Balochistan serves as the principal Gateway to the upcoming Free Port of Gwadar and Balochistan itself. Its importance is also due to its proximity to Karachi, the hub of economic activities of the country. With the construction of the Northern Bypass and Coastal Highway, it has emerged as the industrially and commercially active region of Balochistan having great potential for industrial and commercial investment. So far about 170 industrial units have an estimated investment of about +Rs. 150.00 billion, are in operation in this region producing Electric Power, Cement, Textile Yarn and Fabrics, Glucose, Sugar Confectionery, Food Products, Pharmaceutical Products, Petrochemicals, Chemicals, Ceramics, Engineering Goods, Marble and Granite Products, etc.
There are five Industrial Estates including a Marble City and a large Ship Breaking Yard. The Lasbela Industrial Estates Development Authority (LIEDA) having its head office at Hub, Lasbela, manages the industrial estates in this region.
The Hub Chamber of Commerce and Industry Represents the singular organized industrial Cluster of the province representing +95% of industries of the province which are located in Hub. It was formed in 1995 under the name of Lasbela Chamber of Commerce and Industry after being licensed by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan, and is registered with the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan with the merger of Hub Association of Trade and Industry. After the formation of the new district, Hub, now the chamber is Hub Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Chamber is affiliated with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Hub Chamber’s Vision:
To see the Hub District’s most prosperous and economically sound enabling the region.
Objectives:
- To perform its role create a conducive environment to attract industrial investment in the Hub district given the almost saturation in Karachi and its surroundings, by way of pursuing authorities to develop the required infrastructure.
- To tap the mineral resources of Balochistan and to take maximum advantage of these resources by creating awareness regarding modern mining and processing technology and by employing modern marketing techniques.
03 years back, the Hub Chamber formed its Minerals to Chemical Committee which is actively working on supporting the transformation of the mineral wealth of the province to value-added Chemicals to multiply the earnings of the province in many folds.
- To suggest to and pursue the Government to establish Sea Food City to create opportunities for investment in this sector to tape the seafood resources of the coastal line of Balochistan
- To suggest the building of small dams and reservoirs to store floodwater to raise the level of underground water resources to facilitate the agricultural growth in the region, which is already producing fruit vegetables, wheat, cotton, etc. This will also facilitate the growth in the poultry and livestock sector
- To facilitate the members in solving their day-to-day problems regarding the interpretation of laws and procedures, and provision of infrastructure facilities, by playing the role of a bridge between the Government and the private sector
- To endeavor to bring more and more business enterprises into the membership folds of the Chamber based on the Chamber’s performance. To accomplish the above objectives, the Chamber has been actively engaged and will perform the following activities:-
Membership:
The Chamber has three classes of membership, Corporate Members, Associate Members, and Town Associations. Almost all the Industrial and Commercial establishments operating in Hub District are members of this Chamber. Its membership strength is gradually increasing with the growth of economic activities in the region.
Management:
Under the provisions of the Trade Organizations Rules – 2007, the Chamber’s policies and programs are determined by a 12-member Executive Committee, which is elected by yearly by the Chamber’s registered member organizations. The Managing Committee elects the President and Vice President of the Chamber. The President controls the working of the Chamber in consultation with the Executive Committee.
Sub-Committees:
To effectively serve the members, the Chamber constitutes Subcommittees, the purpose of forming subcommittees is to use the members’ experience and knowledge in various areas for the collective benefit of the business and industrial community.
Liaison with the Government, administration, and authorities to ensure a conducive Business environment in the district.
The Chamber believes that without a developed and sophisticated social and physical infrastructure, the country cannot achieve a breakthrough in socio-economic development. It is in keeping with this perspective that the Chamber has close liaison with LIEDA and the District and City Governments of Lasbela District, Environment Protection Agency Hub, Law Enforcing Authorities The district administration, Balochistan Revenue Authority, Balochistan Food Authority Labour Department, etc. with a purpose to create a feasible and workable environment in the region by developing the infrastructure to not only invite the investors to avail the vast opportunities of Industrial and Commercial investment in Lasbela District but also to improve the living standards of the people of this region. The Chamber has constituted the Lasbela Development Committee to develop welfare projects to improve public living standards.
Representation of Advisory Bodies:
Being the only representative trade body of Lasbela District, it has been given due representation in Governing and Advisory Bodies where the Chamber nominates its members with long experience and deep insight into the specific fields. Some of the important bodies on which the Chamber has been given representation are:
-Board of Investment Balochistan
–Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Commerce.
-Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Finance.
-Board of Directors of Lasbela Industrial Estates Development Authority.
-Works Committee of Lasbela Industrial Estates Development Authority.
Balochistan Employees Social Security Institutions (BESSI).
Workers Welfare Board Balochistan (WWB).
Worker Welfare Fund (WWF).
Institute Management Committee, Light Engineering Upgradation Centre Hub.
-Institute Management Committee, Centre of Excellence, Technical Training Canter Hub.
With the Chamber’s association with various Advisory/Governing bodies, it keeps it posted with feedback on various Government Policies and Measures, the Chamber also utilizes these forums to influence the policies and perception of the Government through personal discussion as well as through submission of representations on various issues.
The Local and Provincial Authorities concerned are also timely approached through personal meetings and discussions. It is against such exercise and experience that problems both of individual or collective nature, about the industrial and commercial establishments are dealt with and pursued till such problems are resolved.
The Chamber acts as a catalyst and works as a bridge between the Government and the Private Sector entrepreneurs.
Services rendered by the Chamber:
The chamber’s basic function is to protect and promote the interest of trade, commerce and industry in Lasbela District. It strives hard to espouse the cause of private sector enterprises and to redouble its contribution in the socio-economic development in the country. It also works on the capacity building of the members and their staff by way of organizing the seminars and workshops on the issues pertaining to taxation, environment, labour laws, management and marketing, processing etc.
The Chamber is authorized:
- To issue Certificate of Origin for export cargoes and attestation of commercial documents.
- To issue recommendation letters for Visa and the foreign missions in very kind to accept the recommendations.
- To organize the Pakistan Pavilion in the International Fairs and Exhibitions.
- To invite Ministers and high-profile Government Functionaries to the Chamber to identify the problems being faced by the trade and industry, and to help resolve them.
- To publish Trade Directories, Reference Data and other publications for the benefit of the business community.
- To organize Seminars, Conferences, Local / International Exhibitions, Display Centres, etc. for the promotion of trade and industry.
General Body:
The General Body of the Chamber meets once every year compulsorily and adopts the Annual Report of the outgoing Executive Committee, as well as the Audited Accounts and also confirms the election of the new members of the Executive Committee and the Office Bearers. The Extra-Ordinary General Meetings can be convened as and when required by the Chamber.