LAHORE: All the political parties should sit together and chalk out a plan to protect Karachi, the economic hub of Pakistan, and end ethnicity and provincialism in the city and promote nationalism there. There is also need to relocate the head offices of state and national banks and some commercial banks from Karachi to Islamabad as well as other four provinces to decentralise economic pivot as one-day closure of business in Karachi adversely affects national economy. These views were expressed by the participants in Jang Economic Session on ‘Role of Karachi in Economic Growth - Present Situation’, here on Wednesday. The participants comprised Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) former President Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Capital Office Islamabad Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Chairman Hameed Akther Chadah, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) former President Muhammad Ali Mian and Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) former President Dr Yasir Mehmood. The vent was jointly hosted by Sikindar Hameed Lodhi and Intikhab Tariq. Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said after 1984 Karachi became an ethnic city which largely caused damage to the migrants there. He said no one ever owned Karachi as their city either they were migrants or settler business community from other provinces. He said after the 1984 unrest in Karachi, businesses were shifted to Punjab. He said the government should relocate head offices of the SBP and NBP to Islamabad and Lahore. He said Karachi was in control of land grabbers, extortionists and weapon holders while political parties were not serious to improve law and order situation. Hameed Akther Chadah said extortionists were now also extorting from the poor people who earned their living by providing horses and camels on the seaside to the visitors for a ride. He said industrialists and traders of Karachi owned property worth million of rupees and now they were at the mercy of extortionists and land grabbers. He said all three major political parties should perform their responsibilities to improve law and order in Karachi. He said police should be withdrawn from protocol duties and be deployed to maintain law and order. Muhammad Ali Mian said that Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), 80 per cent automobile industry and 50 per cent pharmaceutical industry was in Karachi while 70 per cent import/export was done form there so early normalisation of Karachi situation was better for the country. He said ethnic groups whenever felt insecure, they disturb law and order. He said protest activities had destroyed transport system of the city. He called for developing dry ports to improve economy. He said the present situation in Karachi reflected that whole drama was staged to bring back the governor. Dr Yasir Mehmood said Karachi was a hub of industrial and trade activities and financial capital of Pakistan while largest stock market and offices of multinational companies were also there. He said one-day strike cost three to seven billion rupees to the national economy. He demanded the government not only improved the law and order situation of Karachi but also shift the financial institutions’ head offices from Karachi to Islamabad and other provinces. This step will reduce the impact of law and order situation in Karachi on the national economy, he added.
