The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and British Business Centre Pakistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further advance relations between both entities, promote economic cooperation and ensure optimum development of trade relations between UK and Pakistan based companies. President KCCI, Younus Muhammad Bashir and Chief Executive Officer of British Business Centre, Malahat Awan have signed the MOU on behalf of their respective organisations.
According to the MoU, the Karachi Chamber and British Business Center have agreed to encourage, promote and facilitate effective cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, technology transfer and related economic and industrial activities by establishing effective communication between member companies of both the organisations with particular reference to the private sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan termed the signing of MoU between the KCCI and British Business Center as a "significant and very important" event which would help in furthering relations between the two countries. Referring to Siraj Teli's remarks, the Governor Sindh said that Karachi city has undergone rollercoaster ride in the past but they courageously faced all the issues and during the last three years, they have remained engaged in Karachi Operation to ensure peace all over the city. "We have covered a long way and all these activities of signing MoUs and other similar events clearly indicate the achievements of Karachi Operation," he added.
"Prosperity cannot be achieved unless we have peace," he said, adding that the development work which remained halted for the past at least five years, has been started by undertaking some mega projects in Karachi, particularly the work on completion of Liyari Expressway.
"We have firm resolve that we will go very hard against all kinds of criminalities, all kinds of disturbances and all kinds of mafias as we are determined to have a peaceful and stable Karachi," he added.
Former President KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli said that the establishment of British Business Center in Karachi would go a long way because of the fact that UK and Pakistan were in business since the inception of Pakistan and it was heartening to note that more than 100 companies from UK were successfully doing business in Pakistan.
He was of the view that the British Deputy High Commission has chosen the right way by signing this MoU with Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry which is the largest chamber of Pakistan in terms of membership as well as revenue and business. "Even if the memberships of all Chambers of Commerce across Pakistan are consolidated, it will not be equivalent to the memberships of the KCCI. The Karachi Chamber is a place where we are working with all tiers of the government including local government, Sindh government and Federal government with an intention to fully assist the business and industrial community of Karachi," he added.
Siraj Teli said that Karachi, being one of the largest city of the country spread on an area of more than 3500 square kilometers, is commonly known as business and industrial hub of Pakistan but we strongly believe that 'Karachi is Pakistan' and there is no Pakistan without Karachi as everything going to the rest of the country moves from Karachi.
Siraj Teli also paid glowing tribute to Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan for his absolute support to Karachi Chamber's initiatives since 2004 when the KCCI decided to organise 'My Karachi - Oasis of Harmony'. "It is encouraging for all of us that out of 13 My Karachi Exhibitions have been held so far, the Governor Sindh has participated in at least eight exhibitions and has always supported the KCCI and the business and industrial community of Karachi," he added.
British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, John Tucknott MBE, while welcoming the guests, said, "The UK already enjoys a strong relationship with Pakistan in the key area of prosperity. The British Business Centre's goal is to contribute to an increase in bilateral trade and investment, in line with the commitments made by Prime Ministers David Cameron and Nawaz Sharif when they met in London in April 2014."
"We welcome the support that the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry is extending towards the Centre in order to help achieve this goal," he added. Vice Chairman BMG Anjum Nisar, Senior Vice President KCCI Zia Ahmed Khan, Vice President KCCI Muhammad Naeem Sharif, Former Presidents KCCI A Q Khalil, M Haroon Bari, Khalid Firoz, Majyd Aziz, Mian Abrar Ahmed, M Haroon Agar, Abdullah Zaki, and Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra while KCCI Managing Committee members and other prominent business figures were also present on the occasion.