KARACHI: General Secretary Businessmen Group (BMG) and Former President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry AQ Khalil and President KCCI Junaid Esmail Makda have said that all six halls of the Expo Center remained fully occupied during three days of 16th My Karachi Exhibition, which has become an icon for the Businessmen Group and Karachi Chamber.

Addressing a press conference to mark the closing of 16th My Karachi-Oasis of Harmony Exhibition on Sunday, they announced that next year’s 17th My Karachi-Oasis of Harmony Exhibition will also be held with same zeal and enthusiasm on April 17th, 18th and 19th, 2020 at Karachi Expo Center.

Senior Vice President KCCI Khurram Shahzad, Vice President Asif Sheikh Javaid, Chairman Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition Muhammad Idrees, Former Presidents along KCCI Managing Committee members were also present on the occasion.

General Secretary BMG AQ Khalil criticized the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) for poor facilities provided at Karachi Expo Center during My Karachi Exhibition where all six halls are in a bad shape while the air conditioning facility was not working properly. “We have been paying millions of rupees to TDAP for staging this mega event but they are not providing services as expectations”, he added.

General Secretary BMG, while appreciating the overall arrangements of 16th My Karachi Exhibition, said that despite scorching heat wave, it is really encouraging to see that this exhibition was yet another resounding success as it has been attended by visitors in between 800,000 to 1 million.

AQ Khalil, while warmly welcoming the response received from people belonging to all walks of life who enthusiastically participate in My Karachi Exhibition, pointed out that every year My Karachi keeps on growing as compared to the previous events, thanks to the untiring efforts being made by all the BMGIANs, KCCI Office Bearers, Chairman of Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition, Managing Committee members and others who put in the best of their efforts to make this event memorable for everyone.

He particularly appreciated the constant support by Embassies, Consulates, print and electronic media who always support this exhibition and play a major role in making this event successful.

The cooperation by Karachi Police, Rangers, Government of Sindh, Local government and all other departments deserves to be appreciated as they promptly responded to Karachi Chamber’s requests from time to time.

Highlighting the overall journey of Businessmen Group, AQ Khalil said that BMG has been successfully governing the affairs of Karachi Chamber since 1998 as all BMGIANs have not lost a single seat in all the elections held during the last 21 years. “We have taken many initiatives to improve the functioning of Karachi Chamber in order to facilitate its members while My Karachi Exhibition is also part of the same strategy”.

Speaking on the occasion, President Junaid Makda pointed out that My Karachi was initiated in 2004 when the overall law & order situation in the city was very bad and bomb blasts were a routine in the city. “This exhibition has seen many ups and downs since 2004 in terms of law and order situation but we kept staging this event with the same spirit as we wanted to prove it to the rest of the world that the business and industrial community of Karachi remains resilient and will continue to operate in this city in all circumstances”, he added.

He said that “My Karachi provided a vibrant platform where local and foreign exhibitors displayed their products and services at more than 300 in all 6 halls of the Expo Center.”

Junaid Makda also appreciated the support and participation of diplomats from USA, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Russia, Philippines, Thailand, Qatar, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Romania and Kenya. “We are particularly grateful to Indonesia and Thailand for arranging cultural delegations from their respective countries who continued entertain the audience through their enthralling performance during all three days of the exhibition”, he added.

Touching upon the theme of My Karachi Exhibition, Junaid Makda said that the name ‘My Karachi’ signifies that everyone who lives in this city takes ownership while the theme “Oasis of Harmony” depicts the city of multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-language and multi-sectarian people living together in peace and harmony.

“We take everyone on board in My Karachi Exhibition regardless of considering the size of businesses and it is really heartening to note that this year Pakistan Rangers Sindh, Sindh Police and 13 prominent universities in the city also became part of the event”, he added.

Recounting the efforts made by Chairman Special Committee for My Karachi Muhammad Idrees, President KCCI said that said that it was due to his tireless since he became Chairman of KCCI’s Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition five years ago which resulted in yet another successful event in which many new recreational initiatives have been introduced and all these steps have been widely applauded by the visiting families.

He was fairly optimistic that Muhammad Idrees and his team would surely succeed in further improving this exhibition next year and take more initiatives to attract maximum number of Karachiites.

He also appreciated heads of law and order subcommittee including Hafeez Aziz, Sohail Ahmed, Ziaul Arfeen and Mohammad Ameen for maintaining excellent liaison with law enforcing agencies

Meanwhile, Governor Sindh Imran Esmail, who arrived at the Expo Center immediately after the press conference, congratulated the Karachi Chamber for initiating My Karachi Exhibition in a very difficult situation in 2004 and for continuing this event in all circumstances which deserves to be appreciated as it is not an easy task to hold such a huge exhibition without any break. “The event was initiated by the leadership of Businessmen Group to restore the glories of Karachi and they have certainly succeeded in attaining this objective”, he added.

Keeping in view the immense participation of the masses in My Karachi Exhibition, Governor Sindh offered a huge space at Port Qasim for next year’s exhibition.

He further commented that when PTI government assumed charge of the country’s affairs, corruption was widespread all over the country and it still was in Sindh province.

“The Federal government wants to improve the standard of living in Karachi and is serious in providing basic necessities to the public but the widespread corruption might create hindrances. Therefore, the Sindh government must sit with us to deal with this serious issue so that all the development work planned for Karachi is completed at the earliest”, he added.

He said, “It is our desire that we don’t become a trading state but an industrial state and an agricultural state so that we start producing for ourselves and become a food basket of processed/ unprocessed foodstuff for the rest of the world.”

“We have to create an environment where maximum number of jobs are created and education is available to everyone, besides improve the healthcare services”, he stressed, and requested the business community to invest in the health sector by setting up hospitals, dispensaries, pharmaceutical companies, and other paramedical facilities which will be fully supported by the federal government.

He assured the business and industrial community that the government will provide all those opportunities that result in investment enhancement by the business and industrial community. “We firmly believe that a wealthy business community would result in a wealthy Pakistan”, he added.