The traders on Tuesday said President Zardari had approved their proposal to establish a Disaster Management Cell (DMC) to deal with Boulton Market like tragedies in future. They have also suggested to the federal government to formulate a Charter of Economics (CoE) for devising long-term and investors-friendly policies.
Further, Leader of Opposition in Sindh Assembly Jam Madad Ali has invited the Karachi-based businessmen to invest in the agro-based industry in interior Sindh. "The President has kindly consented to our desire to form a Disaster Management Cell," Siraj Qasim Teli told an "interactive" luncheon organised by Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in the honour of members of the provincial assembly of Sindh at Sindh Assembly Building.
The ceremony was attended among others by Speaker and Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro and Shehla Raza, Leader of Opposition Jam Madad Ali, MQM's Parliamentary Leader Sardar Ahmed, Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haque, Advisor to Chief Minster Zubair Motiwala, a host of KCCI members and provincial ministers and MPAs.
The former KCCI president said out of the Rs 3.5 billion, allocated by the federal and provincial governments to compensate the affectees of post-Ashura violence, some Rs 1.7 billion were spent so far. The remaining amount, around Rs 3.5 billion, would be used by the proposed cell or committee to upgrade the fire fighting equipment and revamp the police department to effectively deal with any such disasters in prospect, he added.
According to Teli, he had proposed to Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen that there should be a Charter of Economics signed by all parties and approved by all provincial and national assemblies.
He said the proposed Charter working on the pattern of Charter of Democracy (CoD) would help the future democratic governments set the long-term economic policies. The businessman requested the provincial legislators to form a committee to prepare a "paper" for being discussed, approved by the Assembly and then forwarded to the Parliament.
In his address, Opposition Leader Jam Madad Ali asked the businessmen to join hands with the political leaders in making investments in the agro-based industry of interior Sindh. "If you want socio-economic progress in the country you would have to come to the interior Sindh and make investment in agro based industry in collaboration with us," Jam suggested. He said the business community should also invest in the health and education sectors to ensure social uplift in the province.
Sardar Ahmed of MQM opposed the concentration of wealth in few hands and urged the need for equitable growth through fiscal reforms and extending maximum incentives to the labour class. Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro welcomed the maiden visit of the KCCI members and assured full support of the legislators. He also hailed the national "visionaries" who had set a future line of action for the parliamentarians. Others, who spoke, included Pir Mazharul Haque and advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Zubair Motiwala.