KARACHI: Asif Sakhi, Chairman of the Businessmen Alliance (BMA), the opposition group contesting the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) elections, has said that the current ruling group has failed to provide the much-needed support to Karachi’s business community, resulting in businesses and industries shifting from Karachi to Punjab.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Tuesday along with group candidates Arshad Khurshid, Ismail Laiqpuria, Srichand Hemrajani, Wasiq Hussain Khan, and others, Asif Sakhi expressed serious concerns regarding the law and order situation in Karachi.
He said that the Karachi’s industry is packing up and shifting to Punjab, but the Businessmen Group (BMG) has been ruling on the chamber for the past 26 years while limiting their response to mere statements.
He also demanded that a forensic audit be conducted of the funds distributed to the Gul Plaza victims. He added that while 5 billion and 70 thousand rupees were distributed among concerned traders, the genuine affected shopkeepers have not received a single rupee to date and remain helpless.
“Entering the Karachi Chamber building feels like stepping back into 1947. Teams are formed every year on linguistic grounds in the Karachi Chamber, and the previous elections were held against the rules,” Sakhi said.
He highlighted that through two years of struggle, associate and corporate classes’ elections have now been separated in the upcoming elections, ensuring the ruling group can no longer usurp the rights of the associate class. “We have fought equally for both the associate and corporate classes,” he added.
Sakhi pointed out that while Karachi has 1.6 million NTN (National Tax Number) holders, the Karachi Chamber has only around 17,000 members, clearly showing that the city’s 1.6 million NTN holders have no trust in the current ruling group. He urged Zubair Motiwala to work for Karachi’s business community instead of building castles in the air.
During the press conference, BMA leaders said that as a result of the alliance’s relentless struggle and legal efforts, the Directorate General of Trade Organizations (DGTO) issued a written decision restoring BMA candidates and allotting them serial numbers. Following appeals filed in the Islamabad High Court and DGTO, the alliance achieved a major legal victory, which is a good development for Karachi traders.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026