KARACHI: Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the entire business community of the city have strongly opposed any attempt to move the headquarters of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) from Karachi to Islamabad.
In a statement, the KCCI president has expressed deep concerns over reports of shifting TDAP headquarters from Karachi to Islamabad. KCCI President Abdullah Zaki has said, “It is highly unfair to deprive Karachi city of the services being offered by TDAP headquarter. Majority of the exports are being dispatched from Karachi city whereas most of the exporters, manufacturers, freight forwarders, shipping agents, shipping lines offices and container terminals are also based in Karachi, which contributes more than 68 percent to the national exchequer and plays a significant role in Pakistan’s export performance.”
He said that if TDAP’s headquarters is moved from Karachi to Islamabad, it will not only enhance the gap between the exporters and government authorities but will also have a devastating impact on the overall export performance of the country.
He added, “Furthermore, all the local and international promotional activities being undertaken by TDAP, KCCI, and other stakeholders from time-to-time to promote ‘Made in Pakistan’ logo will also suffer badly. Pakistani exporters may also not be able to participate in some of the major international exhibitions due to widening gap between Karachi exporters and TDAP authorities.”
Zaki has stressed Ministry of Commerce to abstain from shifting TDAP’s headquarters from Karachi to Islamabad, “which if done will be widely opposed by the entire business community of Karachi city”, he said.
