KARACHI: Members of a delegation from Jama Alliance Market Association (JAMA), while expressing deep concerns over rising incidents of thefts in the Jama Markets and poor performance of police officers in dealing with shopkeepers, requested the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry to take up this serious issue with the high-ups in police department.
They also sought KCCI's help in deployment of women police officers at Jama Markets where incidents of thefts were being reported almost everyday and female culprits were involved in them. The help was sought at a meeting during the visit of JAMA delegation to the KCCI, which was led by Chairman JAMA Sheikh Muhammad Irshad.
President KCCI Muhammad Idrees, Senior Vice President KCCI Abdul Rehman Naqi, Vice President KCCI Qazi Zahid Hussain, Chairman of KCCI's Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon and Managing Committee Members also attended the meeting.
Chairman JAMA Sheikh Muhammad Irshad pointed out that shopkeepers of Jama were amongst the worst sufferers of lockdowns and to date they haven't recovered from the losses, leading to closure of many shops.
As these shopkeepers have been facing immense problems, it was necessary that the government should look into the possibility of extending interest-free financing facility to them so that they could stay afloat. "Jama Alliance Market Association can be engaged as guarantor in the process of interest-free financing and we will recommend only those trustworthy shopkeepers who would certainly payback all their debts," he said, adding that this financing facility was desperately needed for survival of business at Jama Market which was the oldest market of the country.
While referring to anti-encroachment drive, he said that around 192 shops of Jinnah Market mostly engaged in frame-making and Dupatta (scarf) dying businesses were razed and to date, these displaced shopkeepers have not received alternate shops. The KCCI should take up this issue with Sindh government with a view to provide relief to perturbed shopkeepers and their families.
President KCCI Muhammad Idrees in his remarks said that the KCCI was in constant touch with Commissioner Karachi Iqbal Memon and Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab and Additional Inspector General Yaqub Minhas, who will soon be visiting the KCCI to discuss numerous issues.
"We will invite JAMA members to these meetings where they will get a perfect opportunity to highlight their grievances directly in front of the decision makers and seek resolution of their problems," he added. He assured that KCCI was always available round the clock to serve small traders and shopkeepers who can either get in touch with office-bearers, Chairman Special Committee for Small Traders or Police Chamber Liaison Committee (PCLC) to get their law and order related issues resolved. "Any unlawful activity being carried out by police officers must also be brought to this chamber's notice in writing and we will make sure that no injustice is being done to any shopkeeper of Jama Cloth Market," he added.
While referring to concerns expressed over anti-encroachment drive, President KCCI informed that not a single representative from Jinnah Market has approached the KCCI for relocation of their businesses to date. KCCI's Special Committee for Small Traders under the supervision of Majeed Memon has ensured that alternate shops are being allotted to displaced shopkeepers of various markets. "KCCI is ready to take up the problems faced by shopkeepers of Jinnah Market but the shopkeepers must share details in writing with this Chamber so that we could take up this issue with Administrator Karachi during his forthcoming visit to KCCI," he added.
He said that it has always been one of the first and foremost responsibilities to give top priority to get small traders' issues resolved in normal and extraordinary circumstances. "It was KCCI that kept demanding to ease restrictions during lockdown and it was this Chamber which convinced Sindh Government to lift lockdown restriction on Sundays," he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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