Mawaiz khan Akash
Could Karachi be as prosper as the business community expects on solid bases? The situation is still a question mark and a wave of disappointment among the business community whether the traders, exporters or importers. Now a days the leading associations of the business community, for instance, FPCCI, SAARC, KCCI and KATI, all they have a close tie to the top level politicians in order to highlight the issues and problems facing either the business community or citizens including ongoing economic recession, law & order situation, the scarcity of infrastructure, manpower & vehicles for police.
It is the matter of three months the Siraj Kassam Teli, the leader of business community, wrote a letter to the president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari to ensure law & order situation especially in Karachi, but their request hasn't been honoured so far. Similarly, the Korangi Association of Trade & Industry organized meeting in a local hotel on the same topic that was honoured by Syed Qaim Ali Shah Chief Minister Sindh in others M. A Rauf Siddiqi Industries minister Sindh and Dr. Zulfikar Mirza Home minister were also present. The Chairman Kati Mian Zahid Hussain, in his inaugurating speech had a deep concerned over the problems and issue with business community. He expressed his lamentation in a way that the country is passing through a very severe condition.
As a matter of fact high inflation, law order situation, depreciative in foreign currency, 30% depreciation in rupee and increasing in domestic and foreign loans dispersed the economy severely. Additionally 10 thousand weaving unites more than 150 textiles, have been closed down due to lack of gas and electricity. Similarly 300,000 labours have already been unemployed.
That was not all rather Anjun Nisar president of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry along with his senior and junior colleagueship extended a visit to home minister Sindh Dr. Zufifqar Mirza to underline the law & order situation. Home minister extended his sincere co-operation and support to business community and assured that he will also convene meetings with Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry in future for mutual co-operation and liaison with law enforcement agencies. Elaborating further, he gave instant orders to arrest the criminals involved in extortion of money, kidnapping for ransom and killing cases along with increasing patrolling activities and effective vigilance.
Pakistan Federation has also expressed regrettably the same issue in its meetings time and again that passing through a severe economic recession, which needs to be resolved as soon as possible Leave out the others; just take power that is gaining in prominence for such an industrial city like Karachi. As M. A Rauf Siddiqui suggested the president of Pakistan to establish separately the power for industrial zone, which could not come under the Govt. decision.
The business community has been assured many times that mark up rate will be dropped from its actual rate but no obvious policy is implemented so far. At the other end Asian countries doing tune actions in this respect Bangladesh, India and China 10%, 8% and 1% respectively.
Well, if the situation remains same as it will never let the foreign and domestic inverters invert in Pakistan. Govt. is doing best to control the law & order situation but these are timely actions it needs to have made long-term strategy.
There is no denying fact that these are the burning issues and the big challenges for the government to be going through. One thing that sweeps the situation in a way, alone government can't cope with these raising and alarming challenges rather to have a close collaboration and supportive relationship with business community.  mawaiz.khan@businessmonitorpk.com