KARACHI: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Mohammed Tariq Yousuf, after listening to the grievances being faced by members of All City Tajir Ittehad (ACTI), assured that KCCI, being the facilitator of entire business community, would take up all their law & order, civic, infrastructure, trade license, taxation and customs related issues with relevant departments on top priority and ensure that relief was provided at the earliest to perturbed shopkeepers, who despite several challenges, were somehow continuing their businesses.

“It seems that most of the ACTI representatives are concerned over rising street crimes in their respective markets and extensive load shedding, in addition to some other issues including lack of civic facilities. KCCI’s Law & Order Subcommittee would certainly take up the law & order issue with relevant high-ups in police department whereas a meeting with KE’s relevant Officials will also be arranged so that the load shedding issue being suffered by shopkeepers could also be resolved”, he added while speaking at a meeting with a delegation from ACTI which was led by its President Hammad Poonawala.

Vice President KCCI Haris Agar, Chairman of KCCI’s Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon, PCLC Chief Hafeez Aziz, KCCI Managing Committee Members along with ACTI members attended the meeting.

President KCCI stated that the Karachi Chamber was well cognizant poor road infrastructure of Shershah and other markets, hence, these issues were regularly being highlighted from time to time so that the government could take steps to improve the road infrastructure at Shershah Market and other areas where commuting become impossible due to miserable road condition.

Referring to concerns expressed over severe load shedding being suffered by shopkeepers of Shershah Market, he said, “It is a matter of concern that shopkeepers of Shershah Market, who regularly pay their electricity bills, are being penalized for electricity theft which is largely being done by the residential consumers of KE in the said area.”

He said that small traders and shopkeepers were no less and equally important to KCCI under BMG’s policy of ‘Public Service’ which was introduced by late Siraj Teli. “We will continue to dedicatedly serve and support small traders with same zeal and enthusiasm without any discrimination”, he said while paying glowing tribute to Chairman of Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon who, despite being so aged, continues to work really hard for the wellbeing small traders and shopkeepers.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of KCCI’s Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon said, “KCCI, being the actual representative of entire business community, is always there to extend full support and cooperation to small traders and shopkeepers who can approach this Chamber anytime for assistance.”

President ACTI Hammad Poonawala, in his remarks, attributed the excellent coordination between KCCI and ACTI to the dedicated efforts and hard work being done by Majeed Memon who promptly responds to any issue being faced by small traders. He hoped that the cooperation and coordination between the two institutions would strengthen further in future which would certainly result in creating an enabling business environment for small traders who were an integral part of the economy.

In response to concerns expressed by ACTI members over rising street crimes in Khajoor Market, PCLC Chief Hafeez Aziz informed that the relevant PCLC patrolling mobile, which remains deployed in this area, would be directed to intensify patrolling in Khajoor Market so that the rising street crimes in this particular locality could be curbed.