Joint committee to pursue issues of law and order, loadshedding

Seven industrial town associations of the city and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) have decided to form a joint committee to pursue issues of law and order, electricity. The proposed committee comprises of president and senior vice-president of KCCI and chairmen and senior vice-chairmen of seven industrial town associations to consistently remain in touch with each other on these issues.
The formation of the committee was announced during a meeting of KCCI and seven industrial town associations. The committee will make and implement joint strategy to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all industrial zones of Karachi and resolve allied matters.
During the meeting it was informed that KESC has agreed to withdraw load shedding in industrial areas. It was also decided that in case of disruption in supply of electricity and load shedding a joint action will be taken by the chamber and the associations and payment of electricity bills shall be ceased.
However, the participants observed that KESC has temporarily withdrawn load shedding from industrial area and they expressed fear that KESC might resort to load shedding any time and without prior notice The participants expressed that KESC assurances have no value and pointed out that in recent past despite assurances by the government and KESC that there would be no load shedding in industrial areas, KESC carry out eight-hour long load shedding after short intervals.
During the meeting President KCCI, Mian Abrar Ahmad apprised the participants about three-hour long meeting held with Minister of Petroleum Natural Resources, Dr Asim Hussain, CEO KESC and MD SSGC on the issue of load shedding in the industrial areas. According to KCCI press release, Leader of Businessmen Group and former President KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli said on demand of KCCI and intervention of the Minister it was agreed that KESC shall discontinue load shedding in the industrial areas.
Siraj Teli said that the Businessmen Group (BMG) of KCCI is committed to "Public Service" since last 14 years maintaining vibrant interaction with superior hierarchy of the Federal and Provincial Governments to promote trade and industry and resolve the genuine issues.
He requested all the participants although we have settled the issue for the time being yet we should all stick together for future and decide a system whereby such recurrences could be dealt with under the platform of KCCI with unity as we cannot afford the industry to suffer any kind of load shedding which causes heavy losses to business and industrial community and government exchequer and ultimately could create law-and-order situation and unrest of labour.
These two particular issues viz. electricity and law and order are most important and all the Industrial Town Associations must remain united. He said that in view of joint efforts the KESC has temporarily discontinued load shedding and to permanently resolve the issue, the seven industrial town associations should raise uniform voice under the umbrella of KCCI.
President KCCI, Mian Abrar Ahmad, stated that it was unanimously resolved to form the committee to jointly co-ordinate on law and order, electricity issues and all the Chairmen/ representatives of Industrial Town Association ensured to remain united and work together under the umbrella of Karachi Chamber accordingly.
Meeting was attended by President-KCCI Mian Abrar Ahmad, Chairman, Businessmen Group and former President KCCI, Siraj Kassam Teli, Vice-Chairmen Businessmen Group and former Presidents KCCI, Tahir Khaliq, Zubair Motiwala, Haroon Farooki, Senior Vice-President KCCI Younus Muhammad Bashir, Vice-President Zia Ahmed Khan, former President KCCI Majyd Aziz, Chairman SITE Association Irfan Motan, Chairman Federal B Area Association Masroor A. Alvi, Chairman Landhi Association Ziad Bashir, Chairman North Karachi Association Abdul Rasheed Fodderwala, Vice-Chairman Korangi Association Tariq Malik, Vice-President SITE Super Highway Association Faisal Moin Qureshi, Vice-President Bin Qasim Association Abdul Rasheed Jan Muhammad and other representatives of industrial town associations.