KARACHI: Chairman Businessmen Group (BMG) and Former President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Siraj Kassam Teli, while underscoring the need to make collective efforts, advised the newly elected KCCI office bearers to work dedicatedly and exhibit truthfulness throughout their tenure in order to resolve issues being faced by the business and industrial community of Karachi.
Speaking at the 54th Annual General Meeting of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, BMG Chairman urged all BMGians to work really hard for the betterment of the country, Karachi city and the business & industrial community. “Collective vision and collective efforts are needed to resolve issues. If we work dedicatedly and remain truthful, we will surely succeed in resolving all issues being faced by small traders, businessmen and industrialists of Karachi”, he added.
The AGM was also attended by Vice Chairmen BMG, Tahir Khaliq, Zubair Motiwala, Haroon Farooki and Anjum Nisar, Outgoing Office Bearers, Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra (Outgoing President), Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi (Outgoing SVP) and Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan (Outgoing VP), Incoming Office Bearers Younus Muhammad Bashir (newly elected President), Zia Ahmed Khan (Newly elected SVP), Muhammad Naeem Sharif (Newly elected VP), Former Presidents and KCCI Managing Committee members.
Congratulating the newly elected President Younus Muhammad Bashir, Siraj Teli said, “We expect a lot from the newly elected President and I am fairly optimistic that Karachiites and the Karachi Chamber would surely benefit from the vast experience of Younus Bashir who has been associated with the Chamber and Site Association of Industry for a long time.” He also paid glowing tribute to the outgoing office bearers for their efforts towards highlighting and resolving a number of issues being faced by the business and industrial community. Iftikhar Vohra, Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi and Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan have done a fine job and maintained BMG’s tradition of sincerely serving the business and industrial community of Karachi.
Highlighting the journey of Businessmen Group, he informed the gathering that BMG has been constantly winning KCCI’s election since past 18 years and it was a matter of pride that BMGians have won KCCI elections unopposed during the last 9 years which clearly indicates the trust and confidence of the entire business and industrial community of Karachi on BMG’s clear policy of ‘Public Service’.
Siraj Teli was of the view that Ministers and Bureaucrats avoid visiting the chamber because of the fact that instead of ‘hails to the presence’, KCCI vocally and fearlessly highlights the core issues in front of any minister or bureaucrat during their visits. “Unfortunately, because of our habit of speaking the truth only, these ministers and bureaucrats try to stay away and keep their visits to KCCI very limited”, Siraj Teli said, “Moreover, it has also been observed that during Nawaz Sharif’s government, Karachi city has usually been ignored and nobody dares to raise voice against this discrimination except me.”
Speaking on the occasion, the newly elected President KCCI Younus Muhammad Bashir said that it was a matter of grave concern that the federal government was not paying any attention to Karachi Chamber which represents majority of the business and industrial community and was the largest chamber of the country. “During my tenure as President, it will be one of my top most priority to deal with this pressing issue so that the federal government could start paying heed to KCCI’s recommendations and demands”, he added.
He pointed out that law and order situation has improved during the past two years but lot more needs to be done while the business community must also be taken on board in order to ensure long lasting peace and stability in Karachi which is capable enough to make Pakistan ‘the Asian Tiger’.
He said that although the government grants numerous incentives to foreign investors who want to set up their units in Pakistan but unfortunately, the existing local businessmen and industrialists, who have been running their businesses for the past many decades in Karachi, were largely being ignored and they continue to face hardships due to dilapidated infrastructure, gas, electricity and water shortages.
Younus Bashir assured to work enthusiastically for the rights of entire business and industrial community of Karachi, particularly for resolving issues being faced by small traders of the city.
The outgoing President KCCI, Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra, while highlighting some of the important happenings during his tenure as President, appreciated the support and cooperation extended by BMG leadership, his colleague office bearers, Managing Committee members and KCCI Secretariat in dealing with numerous issues.
Earlier, Secretary General KCCI, S. M. H. Rizvi announced the election results of members of the Managing Committee as well as office bearers. The nominees of Businessmen Group namely Younus Muhammad Bashir, Zia Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Naeem Sharif were declared elected unopposed as President, Senior Vice President and Vice President respectively.
Furthermore, Younus Muhammad Bashir, Imran Aftab, Zia Ahmed Khan, Altaf A Ghaffar, Shoaib Ahmed Faridi, Arif Quettawala, Muhammad Haris Agar, Muhammad Ali Aziz, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shamsi, Anis Bhesania, Tabassum Khurshid, Ansar Ali Khan, Amjad M. Ashraf, Kamal Aftab and Atif Jamil-ur-Rehman were announced as Members of the Managing Committee.
The General Body, in addition to confirmation of minutes of last year’s AGM, adopted the Annual Report, approved the accounts and appointed auditor for the current year 2015-16.
