Differences among the federal, provincial and local governments, along with illegal practices and ancient governmental regulations, have robbed Karachi of its rights. This was stated in a repot prepared by the Research and Development Department of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

The report carries ample proposals for the authorities to consider, most of which should have been mandated overtime without anyone having to point them out. It is only when the business environment in the country improves, particularly in Karachi, that the positive economic benefits start trickling down to other segments of the society.

Crippled with a poor law and order situation in the past, the city has been through some trying times. Unlike the case in other cities, however, only nominal efforts were made to improve the structural deficiencies of the city. Karachi's lackluster performance was clearly evident on the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) index. The business community of Karachi plays a pivotal role in regulating the economy of Pakistan. The sacrifices offered by this community kept the country running even at the worst of times. It is therefore imperative that Karachi's population, which also represents majority of the country's taxpaying population, is given its due share of rights so that it has the confidence to formulate investment plans for the future.

Focusing on Karachi-centric business reforms will also multiply the effects of the efforts put forth by the government. The report carries ample proposals for the authorities to consider, most of which should have been mandated overtime without anyone having to point them out. It is only when the business environment in the country improves, particularly in Karachi, that the positive economic benefits start trickling down to other segments of the society.

The EoDB ranking from the perspective of a country's local business community is nothing more than a publicity tool used by governments to flaunt their "so-called" achievements. Still, the valuable insight into other countries, provided by the rankings should only expand and enrich the to-do list of a country's institutions.