President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, after listening to grievances being faced by members of All City Tajir Ittehad (ACTI), assured that KCCI, being the facilitator of entire business community, would take up all their law & order, civic and infrastructure related issues with relevant departments on top priority and ensure that relief was provided at the earliest to perturbed shopkeepers, who despite several challenges, were somehow continuing their businesses.
Exchanging views with members of the ACTI delegation during their visit to KCCI, President KCCI said, “Most of ACTI representatives are concerned over rising street crimes and lack of civic facilities. Hence, KCCI’s Law & Order Subcommittee would certainly take up all these law & order issues with relevant high-ups in the police department. I will also take up the matter of deteriorating road condition with Mayor Karachi at the earliest possible time so that these could be improved, besides devising an effective plan of action for efficiently dealing with FBR related issues.”
President ACTI Hammad Poonawala, President KCCI Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, Senior Vice President Altaf A. Ghaffar, Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Barry, Chairman Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon, Chairman Law & Order Subcommittee Yousuf Yaqoob and KCCI Managing Committee along with ACTI members attended the meeting.
President KCCI also advised shopkeepers and small traders to stay connected with KCCI, which was available 24/7 to serve them without discrimination. “You must come forward and become part of subcommittees which would help bring numerous issues to KCCI’s notice, and we’ll make sure that these issues are promptly taken up with relevant departments and amicably resolved”, he added.
Small traders and shopkeepers were no less but equally important to KCCI under BMG’s policy of ‘Public Service’, he added while appreciating the services rendered by Chairman of Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon, who continues to work hard to keep small traders fully united under KCCI’s umbrella.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of KCCI’s Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon said, “KCCI, being the actual representative of the entire business community, is always there to extend full support and cooperation to small traders and shopkeepers who can approach this Chamber anytime for assistance.”
ACTI Members sought Karachi Chamber’s help in dealing with numerous issues being faced by traders/ shopkeepers of almost all the commercial markets of the city where abnormal rise has been witnessed in street crimes, dacoities and extortion demand. At the same time, the road infrastructure in these markets has also worsened to a great extent, which needs attention.
They said that FBR officials have also been causing a lot of problems for small traders and shopkeepers who are constantly being harassed with an only intention to blackmail for personal benefits. The Karachi Chamber must come forward to rescue perturbed shopkeepers who were trying their best to stay afloat in an extremely challenging economic environment, adding that KCCI’s relevant subcommittee should play a more proactive role in dealing with FBR-related issues.
President ACTI Hammad Poonawala appreciated the reactivation of the Rangers Complaint and Monitoring Cell, which would provide ease of fearlessly lodging complaints pertaining to law & order incidents, particularly those pertaining to extortion chits.
President Shershah Kabari Market Sheikh Shahid stated that shopkeepers of not only Shershah market but also several other markets have once again started receiving extortion chits while snatching has also risen sharply, hence, police and rangers patrolling in all such markets must be intensified, besides setting up pickets to avoid any untoward incident.