KARACHI: The Businessmen Group (BMG), which has dominated the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) for decades, is panicking due to the certainty of its defeat in the upcoming 2024-26 elections. To avoid humiliation in front of the business community, they have resorted to the Sindh High Court to halt the elections through their established election commission and illegally appointed staff, claiming that the regulator has been consistently making decisions against their unlawful tactics. They have asked for a stop to these decisions to prevent major disgrace within the business community.
On the other hand, Asif Sakhi, leader of the Businessmen Alliance (BMA), expressed concerns about potential election fraud in the KCCI elections, stating that the ruling businessmen’s group is severely rattled by the prospect of losing power and is attempting to employ any means necessary to win, even if it is illegal. Internal conflicts have arisen within the BMG due to illegal and unethical actions and dictatorial tendencies, leading to significant disunity among them.
Mr. Sakhi further stated that a strong coalition of shopkeepers, small traders, importers, trade associations, and both small and large industrialists is participating in the elections against the businessmen group that has been in power for 25 years. However, when the BMA panel announced its intention to contest the elections, the ruling group, along with the chamber’s administration, including the secretary and staff, openly violated the chamber’s constitution (Article of Association) through bias and intimidation, illegally raising the nomination fee from 15,000 rupees to 100,000 rupees to prevent small traders from participating. The ruling group faced severe embarrassment when the Director General of Trade Organization (DGTO) deemed their actions unlawful and ordered the security deposit to be reinstated at 15,000 rupees.
He mentioned that the ruling group provided the BMA with incorrect and incomplete voter lists for manipulation, which contained incomplete addresses and missing mobile numbers. Despite the DGTO separating the lists and seats, they are conducting illegal elections on a single list, which we have the right to challenge in court.