KATI: Trade bodies demand development packages

City has made huge contributions to economy; deserves urgent, due attention

KARACHI: The industrial associations of Karachi urged the federal and provincial governments to immediately announce a major development package for the city’s industrial zones.

“Karachi has been making huge contributions to the national economy, thus the city deserves proper attention towards its plight to rebuild infrastructure,” said the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) President Zahid Saeed, during a joint press conference organised by major town associations of Karachi.

They said the city’s infrastructure was in a dilapidated condition and requested Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to announce a Rs100 billion package to build its industrial infrastructure.

The Karachi Industrial Forum (KIF), which called the press conference, had support from seven industrial associations in Karachi including KATI, Landhi Association of Trade and Industry (LATI), Bin Qasim Association of Trade and Industry (BQATI), North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry, SITE Superhighway Association of Trade and Industry, Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry, and SITE Association of Industry, according to a press release.

The KATI President further added that recently the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved only Rs3 billion for Karachi out of the Rs100 billion development projects fund, which is unfortunate.

“Motorway projects are being announced on a daily basis by the federal government but nobody is paying attention to the Karachi-Sukkur motorway.”

“The Karachi industrial areas look like war-zones,” he added.

The associations’ representatives were of the view that foreign visitors and business dignitaries were reluctant to visit the industrial zones, which posed negative implications on future investment plans in the province

SITE Association of Industry Senior Vice President Arif Lakhani said their area needs 50 million gallons of water on a daily basis but water board was providing them only one million gallons.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2016.

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