KCCI urges major chambers to unite over business issues

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Talat Mahmood has proposed that five to six of Pakistan's leading chambers form a joint platform to strengthen the business community's influence on government policies affecting trade and industry.

Speaking at a meeting hosted by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Wednesday, Mahmood said a collective approach would carry greater weight with the government than representations made by individual chambers.

How would the proposed chambers' platform work?

Mahmood proposed monthly meetings involving five or six major chambers, held on a rotating basis. He said a common approach to shared business problems would make their requests harder for the government to overlook, unlike individual representations that, in his view, had often produced disappointing results.

He praised ICCI President Mohammad Zikria Akbar Zia for bringing leading chambers together and invited the Islamabad Chamber's leadership to visit Karachi to strengthen coordination.

The meeting was attended by former ICCI presidents, executive committee members and representatives of the trade and export sectors.

What reforms are business leaders seeking?

ICCI President Mohammad Zikria Akbar Zia supported closer cooperation among chambers, saying joint efforts were necessary to address challenges facing Pakistan's trade and industrial sectors.

He called for easier access to bank financing, improvements in industrial infrastructure and fewer regulatory obstacles.

Zia also urged authorities to end unnecessary harassment of traders and industrialists, stressing that businesses should be treated as partners in economic development.

Mahmood highlighted Pakistan's economic challenges, citing exports of approximately USD 30 billion compared with remittances of around USD 41 billion.

He warned against excessive dependence on remittances and called for policies and incentives that would encourage Pakistanis living abroad to invest in the domestic economy.

The KCCI president also proposed dedicated arrangements at airports to facilitate travel for traders and investors.

He said digitization and institutional reforms should make it easier to conduct business rather than become tools for harassment.

How has the Torkham border closure affected businesses?

Khyber Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Syed Jawad Kazmi said the prolonged closure of the Torkham border had severely disrupted regional trade and industrial activity.

He also drew attention to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's export potential.

Former Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Faiz Mohammad Faizi called for closer cooperation among leading chambers to address problems affecting the business community.

ICCI Founder Group Chairman Sheikh Tariq Sadiq highlighted the challenges facing businesses and argued that a united approach was needed to persuade government authorities to take their concerns seriously.

ICCI Senior Vice President Mohammad Ashfaq Hussain Chatha, who moderated the meeting, outlined the chamber's priorities for supporting businesses.

KCCI Executive Committee member Syed Umair Uddin Hussain also addressed the gathering.