KARACHI: President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Shamim Ahmed Firpo has warmly welcomed Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal’s decision to withdraw the condition of prior approval from the interior ministry for bullet proofing of private vehicles by completely reversing the previous policy.
In a statement issued, Shamim Firpo said that the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) was the first and only trade body across the country which kept demanding withdrawal of the unreasonable NoC condition for bulletproofing of private vehicles. “KCCI demanded withdrawal of NoC in its letters issued to federal interior ministry from time to time and also issued press statements about the same a couple of years ago. Finally, the newly appointed interior minister has given the deserved precedence to our fair demand by issuing directives to immediately reverse the previous policy which the business and industrial community highly appreciates”, he added, while congratulating Ahsan Iqbal for taking the wise decision as per aspirations of the business and industrial community.
He was of the view that although the law and order situation has gradually improved since the commencement of Karachi operation in September 2013 but as of today, no one claim that 100 percent peace and tranquility prevails across the city. Therefore, the business and industrial community is compelled to go for private security arrangements and get their vehicles bulletproofed at their own expense so that they can move fearlessly and safely across the city but acquiring a NoC from interior ministry was an uphill task which has now been taken care of by Ahsan Iqbal who termed this exercise as “mark of red tape” and immediately ordered to withdraw the NoC condition.
“It seems that the government has finally started paying some heed to the fair demands of business and industrial community of Karachi which is a positive omen and will surely go in favor of the economy, keeping in view the mammoth contribution of more than 65 percent revenue by the city”, said Shamim Firpo.
