KARACHI: The Kara-chi Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday expressed deep concern over ‘deteriorating’ image of Karachi due to ‘rising’ lawlessness, particularly after recent terrorist attack on Karachi Police Office (KPO) at a time when the law enforcement agencies were already on a high alert because of ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The KCCI statement said that the chamber had cautioned time and again about such threats, but ‘unfortunately no concrete steps were taken’ and the recent wave of lawlessness clearly indicated how fragile Karachi’s law and order has become.

“The poor law and order situation has triggered extreme anxiety amongst the members of the business and industrial community who are dubious of whether to continue their business in this city or move to somewhere else,” said the KCCI statement.

In a letter to chief minister Sindh, Corps Commander Karachi, DG Rangers, IGP Sindh and Sector Commander ISI, President KCCI Mohammed Tariq Yousaf and Zubair Motiwala, chairman businessmen group urged the said authorities to hold a joint meeting at the KCCI at the earliest possible time within this week ‘to address business community’s concerns in presence of the media, so that the entire world could know what measures were being adopted to deal with the situation, which would surely help in saving the image of Karachi from further deterioration’.

“The presence of honourable CM along with high-ups of law enforcing agencies at the proposed joint meeting would also help in telling the world that the law and order situation was ‘not as bad’ as it was being portrayed by the anti-state elements whose only intention is to damage Pakistan’s repute in the international arena.”

Moreover, the traders’ body said that the KCCI’s My Karachi Exhibition, which is being staged since 2004 to portray Karachi as ‘peaceful city’ is set to be organised at the Expo Centre on March 3, 4, and 5, 2023, but ‘keeping in view the current state of affairs’, they (KCCI) needed an advice on how to safely organise this event.

“KCCI is eager to hold this event at any cost on the said dates regardless of several security threats as this exhibition was initiated in 2004 when the law and order situation was not so good and a bomb blast also took place in Bohri Bazaar, Saddar, but the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz encouraged the traders to hold ‘My Karachi Exhibition’ to portray the soft and positive image of Karachi which has always been staged in all types of circumstances including law and order threats.”

“This year, we are expecting immense participation of around 800,000 visitors including high-profile lawmakers, bureaucrats, diplomats and foreign delegates etc. so we need your prudent advice on how to hold this major event in a safe and secure manner which, we would also like to seek, during the proposed joint meeting,” according to the KCCI letter written to the said authorities and shared with media.

The letter added that this proposed joint meeting would discuss law and order situation and to seek the said authorities opinion on how to improve the image of Karachi besides devising strategies on how to safely stage ‘My Karachi Exhibition’.

The KCCI also expressed heartfelt sympathies and condolences with the families of the martyrs of the KPO incident, praying for swift recovery of the injured.

Published in Dawn, February 22th, 2023