Chairman Businessmen Group (BMG) and Former President Karachi Chamber Siraj Kassam Teli has said that all six halls of the Expo Center remained fully occupied during three days of 15th My Karachi Exhibition, which has become an icon for the Businessmen Group and Karachi Chamber.
Addressing a press conference to mark the closing of 15th My Karachi-Oasis of Harmony Exhibition, Chairman BMG announced that next year’s 16th My Karachi-Oasis of Harmony Exhibition will also be held with same zeal and enthusiasm on April 5th, 6th and 7th, 2019 at Karachi Expo Center. “Keeping in view the overwhelming response being received from the masses, we may consider expanding this exhibition from 3 days to 5 days”, he added.
Vice Chairmen BMG Tahir Khaliq and Zubair Motiwala, President KCCI Muffasar Atta Malik, Senior Vice President KCCI Abdul Basit Abdul Razzak, Vice President Rehan Hanif, Chairman Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition Muhammad Idrees, Former Presidents KCCI AQ Khalil, Abdullah Zaki, Younus Muhammad Bashir along KCCI Managing Committee members were also present on the occasion.
Chairman BMG pointed out that My Karachi was initiated in 2004 when the overall law and order situation in the city was very bad and bomb blasts were a routine in the city. “This exhibition has seen many ups and downs since 2004 in terms of law and order situation but we kept staging this event with the same spirit as we wanted to prove it to the rest of the world that the business and industrial community of Karachi remains resilient and will continue to operate in this city regardless of how many bomb blasts and terrorist activities take place. We were born here, we will live here and we will die here”, he added.
Chairman BMG, while appreciating the overall arrangements of 15th My Karachi Exhibition, said that although the visitors’ turnout seems low this year as compared to last year which was mainly because of scorching summer, however, this exhibition was yet another resounding success as it has been attended by visitors in between 700,000 to 1 million.
Chairman BMG, while warmly welcoming the response received from people belonging to all walks of life who enthusiastically participate in My Karachi Exhibition, pointed out that every year My Karachi keeps on growing as compared to the previous events, thanks to the untiring efforts being made by all the BMGIANs, KCCI Office Bearers, Chairman of Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition, Managing Committee members and others who put in best of their efforts to make this event memorable for everyone.
“My Karachi provided a vibrant platform where local and foreign exhibitors displayed their products and services at 312 stalls in all 6 halls of the Expo Center. 70 foreign exhibitors fromIndonesia, Thailand, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Ukraine and Romania participated in this year’s My Karachi Exhibition. The exhibition has become so successful that people keep on inquiring throughout the year about the dates, arrangements and facilities to be provided at next exhibition”, he added.
Touching upon the theme of My Karachi Exhibition, Siraj Teli said that the name ‘My Karachi’ signifies that everyone who lives in this city takes ownership while the theme “Oasis of Harmony” depicts the city of multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-language and multi-sectarian people living together in peace and harmony. “We take everyone on board in My Karachi Exhibition regardless of considering the size of businesses and it is really heartening to note that nowadays, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Rangers Sindh, Pakistan Marine Academy and Police also participate in this exhibition”, he added.
Recounting the efforts made by Chairman Special Committee for My Karachi Muhammad Idrees, BMG Chairman said that it was due to his tireless since he became Chairman of KCCI’s Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition for years ago which resulted in yet another successful event in which many new recreational initiatives have been introduced and all these steps have been widely applauded by the visiting families.
He was fairly optimistic that Muhammad Idrees and his team would surely succeed in further improving this exhibition next year and take more initiatives to attract maximum number of Karachiites.
He particularly appreciated the constant support by Embassies, Consulates, print and electronic media who always supported this exhibition and played a major role in making this event successful. The cooperation by Karachi Police, Rangers, Government of Sindh, Local government and all other departments deserves to be appreciated as they promptly responded to Karachi Chamber’s requests.
Highlighting the overall journey of Businessmen Group, Siraj Teli said that BMG has been successfully governing the affairs of Karachi Chamber since 1998 as all BMGIANs have not lost a single seat in all the elections held during the last 20 years. “We have taken many initiatives to improve the functioning of Karachi Chamber in order to facilitate its members”.
“During all these years, we saved a lot of funds which were used for purchasing land in Clifton where KCCI’s new building is currently under-construction which will be completed within the next couple of years. Whatever we earn from My Karachi Exhibition is also spent on the construction of KCCI’s building”, he added.
Referring to improved law and order situation in Karachi, Siraj Teli said that this was only due to strong voice raised by Karachi Chamber against lawlessness since 2004 which can also be confirmed by reviewing KCCI’s statements appearing in national media from time to time during the said period. “Because of our constant roaring, the politicians had no other choice but to give go ahead to Karachi Operation which resulted in a much improved Karachi as compared to what it had been in the past”, he added.
Commenting on gas and electricity issue being suffered by Karachiites, Siraj Teli opined that it was purely a ‘political issue’ and political people are fully responsible for the water, gas and electricity crises being suffered by the city. “PML-N has always given step motherly treatment to Karachi whereas K-Electric and SSGC have been taking advantage of the differences between PML-N and PPP. In the past, Karachi was deliberately plunged into the darkness of lawlessness and terrorism for almost two decades as politicians simply don’t want to see any prosperity in the city. As the law and order situation is much better, they are now looking for other ways and means of how to disrupt trade and economic activities in Karachi but they will never succeed because of the resilience of citizens of this city”, he said, adding that despite so many odds, the business and industrial community of Karachi remains fully resilient and this city contributes around 70 percent revenue to the national exchequer.
He urged the authorities to carry out city-wise analysis of the revenue contribution and publicize the same so that the actual contribution by Karachi and other cities could be revealed.
Chairman BMG further commented that the Water Commission should sit with the business and industrial community of Karachi and honestly find out the root causes of water issue. “Water Commission is doing a good job in dealing with the bureaucrats who simply don’t want to work but this Commission is constantly being misguided by bureaucrats and KWSB. In order to hide its own thefts, KWSB misguides the Water Commission by accusing the industrialists for water theft which is not factual at all”, he added.