KARACHI: Member National Assembly (MNA) Arshad Abdullah Vohra has called on the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to share its comprehensive proposals for the upcoming Federal Budget 2025–26. He also urged the Chamber to guide the Muttahida Business Forum (MBF) in formulating policies that align with the economic interests of Karachi, Sindh, and Pakistan as a whole.
Speaking during a visit of the MBF delegation to KCCI, MNA Vohra stated, “While the MQM has prepared and submitted its own set of budget proposals, this year we are specifically seeking strategic input from KCCI to ensure that critical and genuine issues are effectively raised at the national level. The National Assembly’s Finance Committee is scheduled to meet on May 22, and MQM intends to submit KCCI’s proposals as formal support to bolster our advocacy for inclusive and business-friendly reforms.”
The meeting was attended by Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, President KCCI Jawed Bilwani, Senior Vice President Zia ul Arfeen, Vice President Faisal Khalil Ahmed, former Presidents Junaid Makda, Muhammad Idrees, and Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, as well as members of the KCCI Managing Committee. The MBF delegation included MNA Arshad Vohra, MNA Syed Hafeezuddin, MNA Jawed Hanif, MNA Hassan Sabir, MPA Taha Haider, MPA Maaz Mehboob, MPA Shariq Jamal, and former KCCI President Saeed Shafiq.
MNA Arshad Vohra commended KCCI’s unwavering commitment to highlighting the city’s most urgent challenges. “KCCI has consistently raised a strong voice on critical issues, including shortages of electricity, gas, and water, as well as taxation, deteriorating infrastructure, and industrial decline. We acknowledge both the scale and urgency of these problems and are determined to work together toward sustainable solutions.”
He underscored Karachi’s immense contribution to the national economy, noting that the city accounts for over 67% of federal revenue, contributes more than 90% to Sindh’s revenue, and is responsible for 54% of Pakistan’s exports. “Despite this, Karachi’s business environment continues to decline. The SITE Area, Pakistan’s largest industrial zone, has suffered from a persistent water crisis for over three decades, with similar conditions in other industrial zones”, he noted.
Vohra also addressed the growing burden on the salaried class. “Salaried individuals remain the highest taxpayers in the country. This imbalance must be corrected. With realistic and enforceable tax measures targeting the retail and undocumented sectors, we can relieve pressure on the salaried class, even under IMF constraints.”
Calling for unity, Vohra urged the business community to stand together. “With the cooperation and moral support of KCCI and the industrial associations, we can build a strong alliance to drive change and improve conditions in Karachi.”
Addressing the meeting via Zoom, Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala praised the formation of the MBF as a positive initiative for enhancing coordination with Karachi’s business community. “This forum is a step in the right direction to jointly address the city’s long-standing issues”, he remarked.
He emphasized that while water and power shortages dominate public discourse, unemployment is Karachi’s most severe and deep-rooted crisis. “The greatest tragedy is that people are going to bed hungry, not due to a lack of food but because there are no jobs. This unemployment has led to social unrest, street crime, terrorism, and extremism.”
Motiwala said, “Industries are scaling back just to survive, and industrialization has stalled completely. No new industries are being established, and existing ones are downsizing. This is the root of unemployment and economic decline.”
He urged the government to develop and implement pragmatic policies that promote industrial growth through a truly enabling environment. “No investor will commit until profitability is assured. Contrast this with the UAE, where investors are offered fixed electricity tariffs for 25 years and can secure approvals within 48 hours. In Pakistan, the same process takes years.”
Chairman BMG advised the MBF to focus on ensuring uninterrupted operations for existing industries and opening avenues for new investments. “We need to address the key factors eroding industrial profitability, especially the high cost of gas and electricity. Achieving breakeven under current conditions is a major victory in itself.”
He stressed that gas and electricity must be made available at regionally competitive rates. “Our costs are significantly higher than in countries like Bangladesh, making our products uncompetitive globally. We’ve long advocated for a comparative study by the government and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to highlight these disparities.”
Earlier, KCCI President Jawed Bilwani welcomed the MBF delegation and acknowledged their continued efforts to amplify Karachi’s concerns in the National Assembly. “We appreciate the MBF’s regular engagement with KCCI in identifying and prioritizing key challenges that need to be addressed at the federal level.”
He highlighted persistent problems such as law and order, infrastructure deficiencies, and prolonged power outages. “KCCI remains committed to playing an active role in raising the voice of not just Karachi’s business community but also the broader Sindh province.”
Bilwani urged the MNAs to help pressure federal ministries into taking concrete and urgent action. “We must intensify our collective efforts and present a unified front. Only then can we expect sustainable solutions to Karachi’s long-standing issues at both the provincial and national levels.”