Vohra urges KCCI to submit budget proposals

Member of National Assembly (MNA) Arshad Abdullah Vohra has urged the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to submit its comprehensive proposals for the Federal Budget 2025–26 and guide the Muttahida Business Forum (MBF) in aligning policies with the economic interests of Karachi, Sindh, and Pakistan.

During a visit of the MBF delegation to KCCI, Vohra said that although MQM had submitted its own proposals, input from KCCI was vital. "The National Assembly's Finance Committee meets on May 22, and MQM will submit KCCI's proposals to support inclusive and business-friendly reforms," he stated.

Vohra commended KCCI's consistent advocacy on issues like electricity, gas, and water shortages, taxation, infrastructure decay, and industrial decline. He noted Karachi's substantial economic contribution—over 67% of federal revenue, more than 90% of Sindh's revenue, and 54% of national exports—yet lamented the city's worsening business environment.

He highlighted SITE Area's decades-long water crisis and called for fairer taxation. "Salaried individuals are the highest taxpayers. With enforceable tax measures for the retail and undocumented sectors, we can ease their burden," Vohra said. Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, addressing via Zoom, praised the MBF's formation and said unemployment was Karachi's deepest crisis. "Industries are shrinking or shutting down. No new investment is coming in," he said. He urged the government to offer regionally competitive energy rates and create an investor-friendly climate.