KARACHI: The Businessmen Group (BMG) leadership of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has renewed its commitment to pursue the rights of the megacity’s traders and industrialists, and intensifying its efforts for Karachi’s socioeconomic development.
The group also called on the business community to support its candidates in the forthcoming KCCI elections for the 2026-28 term.
Speaking at a dinner reception hosted by the Chiniot community in support of the BMG panel, BMG Chairman and former KCCI president Muhammad Zubair Motiwala highlighted what he described as the group’s 27-year record of electoral victories. He said BMG has maintained a sustained presence in the business community and engaged effectively with provincial and federal governments.
Motiwala urged Karachi’s business community to support all 30 BMG candidates in the corporate and associate classes. A strong mandate would enable the group to pursue what he described as a more vigorous agenda to protect and grow trade and industry, as well as Karachi’s civic and economic interests.
He expressed concern over the ‘prolonged neglect’ of Karachi despite the megacity’s lead contribution to the national economy.
“Karachi contributes more than 66 per cent of the revenue to the national exchequer and accounts for around 55 per cent of the country’s total exports, yet the megacity has been neglected for decades,” Motiwala regretted.
He said Karachi’s civic and industrial infrastructure had worsened, and that residents were facing shortages of basic municipal services. “It is time for the business community to come forward and speak with full force on Karachi’s issues,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s economy was closely linked to a peaceful, secure, stable and economically vibrant Karachi.
However, Federal Minister for Investment and former KCCI leader Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh also expressed concern over ‘the inadequate attention given to Karachi’s trade, industry and infrastructure requirements.
He said Karachi’s economic potential remained largely underutilised and expressed dissatisfaction over ‘non-seriousness’ in Parliament to the city’s socioeconomic issues.
Shaikh said that he had written several letters to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking an opportunity to discuss Karachi’s issues, but received no response.
He urged the business community to play a more active role in governance and politics at all levels to advance the city’s economic and civic interests.
BMG Vice Chairmen Anjum Nisar and Jawed Bilwani also highlighted the group’s activities and initiatives for the development of trade and industry over the past three decades, and outlined its future priorities.
The following BMG candidates were introduced on at the reception and votes were sought for them.
Corporate Class: Shahid Ismail, Zafar Saeed Baghpatee, Mobeen Waqar, Aslam Pakhali, Jahangir Moghul, Faisal Jahangir, Muzzammil Rauf Chapal, Aslam Pervez, Shaikh Wasim Ahmed, Ahsan Saleem (Roomi), Syed Atiq-ur-Rehman, Khalid Riaz, Zoaib Fakhruddin Dabbawala, Adnan Ahmed Paracha and Sadiq Abdul Razzak.
Associate Class: Talat Mahmood, Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi, Mohammad Farooq Afzal, Haji Asif Chamdia, Chaudhry Amir Ali Khan, Atif Jamil-ur-Rehman, Abdul Khalid Insaf, Amir Mansha, Muhammad Fahim, Shabbir Ismail, Syed Umair Uddin Hussain, Alamgir Khokhar, Muhammad Usman, Saad Ali Younus and Johar Iqbal.
The Businessmen Alliance is also contesting the KCCI biannual elections scheduled for September 26. Polling will be held from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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