Faithful efforts have been made by the APCA soon after its inception in 1998, incorporated under the Companies Ordinance 1984 vide licence No.: 143 granted by Ministry of Commerce, affiliated with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry as “A” class association, to address the problems facing the construction industry have met with substantial success. Some of these are listed below:

On the initiative of APCA, Construction has been declared as an industry, entitling all fiscal incentives/special treatment and other benefits, as envisaged in the investment policy, as amended from time to time vide notification No. F (10) IF-11/98, dated 07.04.1999 and F. No. 10 (10) IF-11/98 dated 04.06.1999 issued by the GOP Finance Division (Investment Wing).

The defunct Prime Minister Housing Authority (now Pakistan Housing Authority) awarded 42 Housing projects throughout the country to construction companies worth rupees Five billion between June 1999 to October 1999. With a change in the government on 12^th October 1999 work was stopped. On a call from affectees, APCA took up the issue. As a follow up of APCA efforts, 18 projects were made ongoing which are almost completed, while 24 projects were dropped. Substantial payments of the work done of the dropped projects have been made.

National Highway Authority (NHA) awarded a contract for the construction of Islamabad Peshawar Motorway (M-I) project to a foreign contractor which was terminated on 23.04.2001. Pakistani subcontractors, suppliers and manufacturers approached APCA to help in the recovery of their amount spent in the execution of the works and to save the industry from a disaster. APCA responded this SoS call and filed a constitutional petition in the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench against competent authorities and the foreign contractor. As a follow up of APCA efforts relief was made available and payments of the amount of the work done were started in June-2003. By now as on January-2004 over One billion of rupees have been disbursed to M-1 affectees.

Chairman APCA was included in the advisory board established by the Ministry of Housing and Works, GOP. On the initiative of Chairman APCA, Housing policy was formulated specially for low income group notified vide notification No. F.6 (2) / 2000 - COORD, Islamabad the 9^th March 2000 and subsequently got approved the Housing policy 2001 by the Federal Cabinet on 05.12.2001. Policy incentives do include the acceptance of bid bond, performance bond and mobilization advance bond as issued by “A” rating insurance companies of Pakistan approved by the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

Plant, Machinery equipment and articles imported for infrastructure projects including development of industrial zones telecommunication etc have been included in table II of the investment policy thereby entitling the import of construction machinery at 10% of the custom duty vide Notification No. S.R.O. 358(1)/2002 dated 15^th June 2002 issued by GOP Ministry for Finance, Economic Affairs, Statistic & Revenue (Revenue Division).

Preparation of documents and subsequent follow up for the notification of the Standard Conditions of Contract by the GOP to be adopted by all the Engineering departments throughout Pakistan vide office order No.: 1 (698) / PP&H / PD / 2000 dated 12-04-2004 issued by Planning and Development Division GOP that the conditions of contract now have a legal status and may become a basis for punitive action in case not adopted by the departments.

All Pakistan Contractors Association (APCA) agitated against the unprecedent rise in the price of steel with the competent authorities in Federal government and in the press. ECNEC in its meeting held on December 16, 2003 reduced custom duty on imported billets from 20% to 10% and subsequently to 5%. We have now proposed zero rate duty imports of Steel Billets. To resolve the issue of steel price escalation, APCA Chairman met with the President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf and requested to resolve the issue. In the light of meeting  with the President, Prime Minister and the Finance Minster the escalation in Steel, Steel product, Cable, Aluminium and Cooper products was allowed vide order No.: 26 (183) Plan Cord-11 / PC / 2004 dated 11-06-2004 issued by the Planning and Development Division GOP.

As a follow up of APCA to avail the business opportunities by the Pakistani contractors in overseas construction markets it is provided in the trade policy 2003-2004 that a fund would be created which could be used for the purpose of the collateral by the banks to facilitate the contractor’s bid bonds and performance bonds requirements enabling Pakistani contractors to expand their business abroad.

In the Trade Policy 2003-2004, construction companies working in Pakistan on various projects have been allowed duty free import cum export of construction machinery on the recommendation of sponsoring government agencies.

In the Trade Policy 2003-2004, import of construction machinery used in construction companies abroad, irrespective of import status on completion of overseas projects by Pakistani companies, has been allowed.

The GOP Ministry of Commerce imposed a ban on the import of second hand dumpers in March 2003. Dump trucks are a vital construction equipment. APCA took up the issue with Ministry of Commerce, GOP requested for withdrawing the restrictions imposed on the import of second hand dump trucks. GOP allowed the import of second hand dump trucks from July 2003.

To streamline the issues related to the reconstruction and rehabilitation works for Afghanistan, The GOP, Revenue Division, CBR allowed APCA to manage the facility and tax free storage of construction and building materials in the export houses in Peshawar and Chaman and exports of the same to Afghanistan vide No. C.No.10(1) L&P/2002 Islamabad the 2n^d May-2002. This step of the GOP was specially mentioned by Mr. Shaukat Aziz, Minister for Finance in his budget speech for the year 2002-2003.

Chairman APCA has been nominated on provincial committee on investment (PCO1) of the Punjab constituted by Governor of Punjab, vide notification No. AEA-III.4-5/92 dated 22^nd July-2002.

Chairman APCA was included in various GOP delegations such as the delegation led by Mr. Shaukat Aziz, Minister of Finance, GOP in tripartite nations meeting of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran in connection with reconstruction of Afghanistan held in Tehran. Chairman APCA was also included in the delegation of conference on WTO led by Mr. Abdul Razzak Dawood, Minister of Commerce, GOP.

Chairman. All Pakistan Contractors Association (APCA) led a trade delegation consisting of Contractors and Traders belonging to the construction industry to Afghanistan in connection with reconstruction works of Afghanistan arranged by Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan.

In view of shortages of skilled workers by the Contractors, APCA approached the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA), Government of Punjab. On the representation of APCA to revive the closed training facilities, APCA and TEVTA initiated a Pilot Project for the training of Mason, Shuttering Carpenter and Steel Fixer which started with effect from 18.05.2005. APCA paid a sum of Rs. 300,000/- to TEVETA being its share for running the Courses of the Pilot Project. After the successful results, the technical courses are now regularly conducted by the TEVETA and also included other trades like Quantity / Building Surveyors, Heavy Duty Machine Operator, Plumber, AutoCAD Civil Draftsman, Diesel / Hydraulic Mechanic, Material Technician etc. etc.

APCA agitated in February 2007, against the artificial rise in the price of cement due to formation of cement manufacturer’s cartel and took up the matter with competent authorities in the Federal Government and in the press. The Minister of Industries, GOP convened a joint meeting of APCA and Cement Manufacturer’s Association and in the light of APCA’s earnest representation the prices were reduced from Rs. 400/- to Rs. 220/- per bag in the month of March 2007.

Various proposals / Working papers prepared and submitted by APCA to relevant authorities on the issue of PEC licensing, Implementation of National Housing Policy, Standard bidding Conditions, Conduct & Practice of Consulting Engineers bye-laws, price escalation issues, Guide lines for estimations etc. etc. APCA is pursuing all the issues firmly and diligently.

APCA has purchased its own office having 2000 square feet space in Block M, Model Town extension, Lahore near Nespak Head office. The office is being furnished and APCA offices will be shifted upto July 2007.