Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: As a key deliberation on easing business compliance and improving the ease of doing business for small traders and entrepreneurs, a consultative meeting was held at the Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries (ICSTSI) to initiate the implementation phase of the Digital Compliance Gateway initiative, especially to facilitate new businesses.
The meeting, held in collaboration with the Atlas Network, provided a focused platform for dialogue between policy advocates and representatives of the small business community to examine practical challenges in federal compliance processes and identify realistic reform pathways to reduce regulatory burden and encourage formalization.
The Freedom Gate Prosperity (FGP) delegation was led by Muhammad Anwar, Chief Executive Officer, and included Shafqat Aziz, Dr. Shahbaz Tariq, and Asad Rafi, Chief Executive Officer of partner organization Micronox Digital. The meeting was hosted by Muhammad Awais Satti, President of ICSTSI, along with members of the Chamber’s executive committee and representatives of small traders and industries, including Sheikh Tayyab Saeed, Senior Vice President; Sardar Zaheer Ahmed, Vice President; Sher Muhammad, and other senior members of the Chamber.
Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Anwar highlighted that fragmented and duplicative compliance requirements significantly constrain small businesses, increasing costs and discouraging entry into the formal economy. He emphasized that the Digital Compliance Gateway is envisioned as a practical, evidence-based reform that consolidates initial compliance steps through a simplified digital process, developed in close partnership with chambers representing grassroots entrepreneurs.
In his remarks, ICSTSI President Muhammad Awais Satti welcomed the initiative and noted that small traders consistently face delays, lack of clarity, and multiple points of interaction with regulatory institutions. He reaffirmed the Chamber’s support for policy reforms grounded in real business experience and that deliver time and cost savings for small enterprises.
The crux of the discussion centered on documenting real compliance journeys of Chamber members, identifying priority bottlenecks, and jointly developing a policy note for engagement with relevant federal authorities. As a way forward, both sides agreed to nominate member businesses for case documentation, designate focal persons for coordination, and continue structured engagement to advance practical, pro-business regulatory reform.
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