25 September 2004	Saturday	09 Shaban 1425

KARACHI, Sept 24: Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and leader of the Businessmen Group (BMG) Siraj Kassam Teli has defended a cut in tenure of the KCCI president to one year from two years by saying it has been done by meeting all the legal formalities.

Mr Teli also explained that the one-year election of the president was hundred per cent legal, as it had been adopted after the approval of amendments by the extraordinary general body meeting held in June this year. "The opposition group is only trying to confuse a settled issue," he told a press conference at the KCCI here on Friday.

Highlighting the KCCI performance, Mr Teli said government departments and federal ministers had given due weightage to the KCCI suggestions in his tenure. He said for the first time around 80 per cent of proposals/suggestions related to trade and industry had been included in the budget 2004-05.

Mr Teli said the KCCI had organized three mega events -- the visit of chamber's trade delegation to India in February-March 2004; a three-day exhibition with a theme "My Karachi: Oasis of Harmony" from July 30-31 and August 1, 2004; and the Karachi-based exporters' performance awards ceremony held on July 30, 2004.

The KCCI chief said during the visit to India, four MoUs were signed with leading chambers and government departments. On refund of blocked fair amount, Mr Teli said that around Rs1,147,535, which was due to be refunded to the participants of a fair in Tripoli (Libya) held as back as 1992, had been received by the chamber and subsequently reimbursed to the participants.

Similarly, the refund of Rs308,745, which was blocked in the Milan international trade fair since 1986, had been brought back to the chamber's account and distributed among the participants.

BMA: Businessmen Alliance leader S.M. Muneer has said the KCCI election for the top post is being held on Saturday (today), but the Businessmen Group has so far not provided details of the KCCI accounts to the Alliance.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, he said the Director Trade Organization (DTO) had been informed about the issue through faxes, but it had not responded yet.

Mr Muneer said the Alliance had met members of the Siraj Teli Group and the returning officer (KCCI secretary) and a committee had been formed comprising five people each from the BMA and the BMG Group to monitor the election proceedings, but the businessmen still have some reservations in the light of June 19 event when the tenure of KCCI chief was cut to one year from two years in an unhealthy environment.

He said he had asked the DTO to conduct the elections under its supervision but no reply had come as yet. Mr Muneer said the Businessmen Alliance would strive to take up the issue of uniformity in power rates between Wapda and KESC with the government.

He said there was also a need to bring uniformity in land prices in Karachi in line with land rates prevailing in Punjab.