KARACHI: Business leaders representing Karachi's major trade bodies and industrial associations demanded urgent, coordinated action Tuesday to address the city's deepening civic and economic crisis, warning that Pakistan's economic powerhouse continues to suffer from crumbling infrastructure, acute water shortages, unreliable utilities and rampant street crime despite generating approximately 67 percent of federal revenue and 54 percent of national exports.
Chairman Zubair Motiwala of the Businessmen Group called for time-bound action, institutional accountability and measurable results at a high-level meeting of patron-in-chiefs, presidents, secretary generals and representatives of Karachi-based trade bodies and industrial town associations.
"Karachi needs delivery, not promises," Motiwala said.
Economic Cost of Mismanagement
Motiwala warned that unreliable electricity and gas, inadequate infrastructure and low industrial capacity utilization were driving up production costs and undermining competitiveness. He called for early completion of the K-IV water project, a fully operational Safe City surveillance system, a Karachi Bypass to potentially divert 70 percent of heavy traffic away from the city, mandatory road-restoration guarantees, independent engineering audits and a business-friendly tax regime.
He also demanded transparent electricity billing, automatic consumer compensation for service failures, regionally competitive gas prices, digital land records and faster resolution of tax refunds.
Motiwala proposed identifying five immediate priorities, assigning responsibility to relevant institutions and establishing firm deadlines and measurable performance indicators. He called for a unified platform of Karachi's trade and industrial associations to press authorities for corrective action, emphasizing that the objective was a liveable, secure and economically competitive Karachi, not political controversy.
Unified Agenda Needed
Vice Chairman Anjum Nisar of the BMG urged Karachi's trade and industrial bodies to move beyond highlighting problems and develop a unified, actionable agenda. He called for a common documentary exposing the city's ground realities, including corruption, extortion, excessive taxation and deteriorating infrastructure.
Nisar advocated permanent solutions to water shortages, completion of the long-delayed K-IV project and a practical fiscal model empowering local governments with adequate resources. He proposed joint pre-budget consultations by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and trade associations, emphasizing stronger collective representation before federal and provincial authorities.
"If negotiations failed, coordinated protest" would be necessary to secure Karachi's legitimate rights, Nisar said, stressing that the city's issues must be pursued as a common cause rather than individual organizational demands.
Call for Decisive Priorities
Vice Chairman Jawed Bilwani urged the business community to unite behind three to four decisive priorities, warning that the city's longstanding problems would persist without sustained collective pressure and accountability.
He demanded urgent implementation of the Safe City project, stronger action against street crime and land grabbing, protection of public land and transparent documentation and allocation of Karachi's revenues. Questioning repeated road excavation, alleged resale of public land, missing manhole covers and encroachments on the Lyari and Malir riverbeds, Bilwani called for business community oversight of public works contracts.
He proposed a unified response to serious attacks on traders, including the possibility of a citywide shutdown if a trader was killed.
Representation in Government Bodies
Vice Chairman Mian Abrar Ahmed called for permanent, direct representation of the Karachi Chamber in key government bodies responsible for the city's civic infrastructure, utilities and economic development, including the Sindh Assembly, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and K-IV water project.
He warned that corruption and bribery continued to obstruct business operations and argued that occasional meetings could not replace a formal role in decision-making. Backing a KCCI resolution passed Sept. 30, he stressed that institutional representation would improve transparency, strengthen accountability and enable business leaders to convey ground realities directly to policymakers.
Corruption Blamed for Deteriorating Conditions
Vice Chairman Tariq Yousuf identified corruption and networks facilitating illegal activities as fundamental causes of Karachi's deteriorating civic conditions, questioning how roads and streets could be occupied by restaurants and commercial establishments without financial arrangements benefiting those involved.
He warned that the public ultimately paid the price through traffic congestion, inconvenience and inequitable access to essential utilities. Yousuf urged the business community and relevant authorities to expose and dismantle mechanisms enabling unlawful occupation of public spaces.
Committee Proposed Within 15 Days
KCCI President Talat Mahmood proposed constituting a representative committee of Karachi's trade and industrial associations to develop an actionable reform agenda within 15 days, warning that further delays could undermine the unity needed to resolve the city's problems.
He called for issue-specific subcommittees to prepare comprehensive Terms of Reference, regular progress reporting and a united press conference involving industrialists, traders and small businesses. Mahmood demanded a dedicated anti-corruption initiative to investigate complaints involving public offices, including the Sub-Registrar's Office and Sindh Building Control Authority.
Revenue Transparency Questioned
Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry called for a coordinated, non-political campaign, advocating a dedicated authority to manage the city's fragmented sewerage system and urgent implementation of the Safe City project.
Chhaya questioned the transparency of Karachi's revenue allocation, citing the Sindh Revenue Board's reported collection of Rs372 billion, approximately 95 percent of which he attributed to Karachi. He estimated annual infrastructure development cess collections at Rs150–175 billion and called for full disclosure of collections and expenditure.
Parliamentary Support Pledged
MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig pledged coordinated parliamentary support, saying key projects including K-IV and the proposed Lyari elevated expressway had been taken up at the parliamentary level. He strongly opposed prolonged area-wide electricity load-shedding that penalizes regular bill-paying consumers for others' defaults and proposed a meeting involving the federal energy minister, KCCI, Karachi's MNAs and K-Electric.
Business Community Urged to Act
Former KCCI President Zakaria Usman urged the business community to abandon ceremonial engagements and pursue an assertive, sustained campaign, calling for an uncompromising fight against corruption, fraudulent property documentation and land grabbing.
Chairman Hanif Gauher of the Association of Builders and Developers called for a united campaign against extortion, deteriorating law and order, land grabbing and alleged corruption in regulatory institutions, warning that meetings and speeches would achieve little without sustained collective action.
100-Day Action Plan Proposed
Ahmed Chinoy of the Pakistan Cloth Merchants Association called for a dedicated Implementation Committee under KCCI's leadership to translate the reform agenda into measurable results through a time-bound 100-day action plan, prioritizing issues within 15 days and securing firm commitments by day 30.
KATI President Sheikh Umer Rehan identified institutional incompetence, weak accountability and administrative failures as fundamental reasons Karachi's problems remained unresolved, urging comprehensive reforms, devolution of powers and strict performance-based accountability.
FBR Compliance Burden Criticized
Malik Khuda Baksh, chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, sought KCCI's intervention over 15 notices reportedly issued by the Federal Board of Revenue to petrol pumps concerning digital invoicing, maintaining that petroleum dealers operate as commission agents.
Other participants including Faisal Moiz of the North Karachi Association, former KCCI President Abdullah Zaki, Raza Hussain of the Federal B. Area Association and Naveed Farooki of the Warehouse & Logistics Association urged KCCI to institutionalize regular progress meetings and adopt a firm, united stance, with Zaki proposing a boycott if meaningful progress was not achieved within six months.
Concluding Resolution
Concluding the meeting, KCCI President Talat Mahmood proposed a resolution to constitute five committees comprising nominees of all participating trade and industrial associations, mandated to finalize actionable recommendations and comprehensive Terms of Reference within 15 days.
He further proposed regular progress reviews, close coordination with KCCI and town associations, and a united press conference to present the business community's consolidated demands.
