KARACHI: The Businessmen Alliance (BMA) has demanded fresh elections for the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) within 60 days, following a decision by the Directorate General of Trade Organizations (DGTO) that nullified the incumbent body’s 2024-26 election results.
BMA Chairman Asif Sakhi, along with prominent trade leaders including Sharjeel Goplani, Saifullah Khan, Waseq Hussain Khan, Arshad Khurshid, Muhammad Ahmed Shamsi, Rashid Khan, Minhaj Gulfam, Yaqoob Bali, and Muhammad Ismail Lalpuriya, addressed a press conference at the Karachi Press Club to voice their concerns over the KCCI elections.
During the event, BMA leaders highlighted the DGTO’s decision to annul the 2024 elections of KCCI and exposed an alleged group controlling the chamber’s affairs. They asserted that the DGTO had ruled in favor of the complaints raised by BMA, recognizing serious irregularities in the electoral process and mandating fresh elections to restore transparency.
According to BMA representatives, the DGTO has instructed the Ministry of Commerce to appoint an administrator to oversee the upcoming elections, ensuring that they are conducted fairly. They emphasized that the Secretary-General of KCCI must also release updated voter lists for corporate and associate memberships, with a compliance report required within seven days. Failure to do so would result in strict regulatory action, they warned.
BMA leaders cited a formal complaint filed by Arshad Khurshid and others, detailing procedural flaws in the 2024-26 KCCI elections. They pointed out that the provisional voter list, issued on July 15, 2024, lacked clarity in differentiating between corporate and associate members, violating electoral regulations and causing confusion.
They alleged that KCCI’s leadership had systematically manipulated elections by favoring select candidates and disqualifying independent contenders. BMA expressed satisfaction over the DGTO’s decision, stating that their longstanding demand for separate elections for corporate and associate members had been validated.
In addition to electoral concerns, BMA urged the DGTO to conduct a forensic audit of KCCI’s financial records, alleging financial mismanagement by the chamber’s leadership. They promised to reveal further details regarding these financial discrepancies at an appropriate time.
BMA also called for a thorough restructuring of KCCI’s voter lists to make them transparent and accessible to all eligible members. They demanded that future elections be conducted under DGTO’s direct supervision to prevent further electoral manipulation.
Furthermore, BMA leaders cautioned that the current leadership of KCCI may challenge the DGTO’s ruling in court. If this happens, they plan to appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to uphold the decision and ensure fair elections are held without delay.
Another key issue raised was the KCCI membership fees. BMA pointed out that while the official membership fee is Rs1,200, members are currently being charged Rs5,000. They accused the chamber’s leadership of misusing government-provided incentives without offering any tangible benefits to its members. They contrasted this with the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, which actively allocates resources for its members’ welfare.
BMA called on the business community to take decisive action to reform KCCI, criticizing the chamber’s failure to create business opportunities for traders and industrialists. They argued that KCCI has neglected various sectors while favoring specific industries, such as bottled water companies and textile manufacturers, at the expense of broader economic development.
With the DGTO’s ruling in their favor, BMA remains committed to pushing for transparent elections and systemic reforms within KCCI, ensuring that all business stakeholders are fairly represented and given equal opportunities to contribute to the chamber’s leadership.