Race for the forthcoming annual elections of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has kicked off and this year the PIAF-Founder Alliance is all set to sweep the elections again.
The LCCI elections are a major calendar activity in the business community of the provincial metropolis and a hot topic in all the private business gatherings in the month of August. However, this year the same vigour not seen, which might be due to dominance of PIAF-Founders Alliance in the Chamber, which is now in its fourth consecutive year of successful working, and everyone is expecting them to win the elections comfortably.
This year again the PIAF-Founder Alliance has taken the head start over their opponents, The Founders, which has already started preparation for the elections that is expected to, take place sometime in the month of September. The ruling group is already in the process of selecting the candidates for the top slots. As for The Founders, no activities are visible in their camp, or are in haste to decide the candidates for the elections.
The Chamber is buzzing with rumours that The Founders might not contest the LCCI polls this year again, since they do not have strong candidates to give a tough time to the ruling group. The rumours are not out of place; it is based on the last year elections. It may be recalled that last year The Founders did not turn up on the election's day, although it had announced its candidates with pump and show.
The business community is of the view that The Founders might not contest the elections to save their skin; otherwise some activities would have been visible in their camp.
Meanwhile, the PIAF-Founders Alliance's camp is busy in deciding who would run for the top slots. Since under Alliance agreement, Founders would take the top slot, of president and PIAF would take senior vice-president and vice-president offices, both are in the process of short listing.
Source in the Chamber told Business Recorder that PIAF was considering both Yaqoob Tahir Izhar and Majid Abdullah for senior vice-president (SVP) and Mubeshar Sheikh for the slot of vice-president. They said that both Majid and Yaqoob are giving their best efforts to win the slot of SVP.
According to them, within Founders also two prominent personalities of the Chamber were struggling to become candidate for top slot of president, sitting Vice-president Aftab Ahmad Vohra and executive committee member Shafqat Saeed Piracha; both are busy lobbying to win the slot.
"Aftab Ahmad Vohra, an importer by profession, has quite a few good reasons to be named for the top slot of this premier chamber of the country. He has the experience and capability of successfully running the affairs of Lahore Chamber, which he has shown in tenure of vice-president and on a number of occasions he has also officiated as Acting Chamber President.
The sitting vice-president also is a life member of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and has been on the managing committee of the FPCCI," they added.
Sources pointed out that he also has an edge over his competitor; he enjoys a strong support of the Chinioti Bradari, which has all the ingredients to make ripples in business politics. "All those who have a bit sharper memory know well what does Chinioti Bradari support means, as only a few years back, Mian Anjum Nisar, a former LCCI President, won the LCCI elections with thumping majority and became the President of this Chamber," they averred.
As for Shafqat Saeed Piracha, they said, he also deserves to be on the hot seat, since he is in the business politics for a long time and has twice been on the managing board of this Chamber. He deals with the import of tyres business and enjoys a good repute in the eyes of elders of Founders.
Meanwhile, despite the fact that the elections are fast approaching, the activity at the Chamber is at its peak, as the sitting office-bearers are sparing no efforts to highlight the soft image of the country. They are holding meetings with top government functionaries on the one hand while visiting various chambers on the other. Only a few days back, the LCCI signed a MoU with Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry besides holding a meeting with the office-bearers and the Executive Committee of Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry.