Campaign for SCCI election picks up

PESHAWAR: The campaign for the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) upcoming election has picked up as the leaders of the rival alliances — Sarhad Business Alliance and Businessman Forum - have started visiting various business centres in the city along with their candidates to garner support.

The SCCI election is slated for September 25. The contest this time has evoked interest after the launching of a new alliance of the business community under the banner of Sarhad Business Alliance.

This alliance is headed by Ghulam Ali and Syed Zahir Ali Shah, the former a Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam-Fazl leader and the latter hailing from the Pakistan People’s Party. Ghulam Ali has served as KP governor while Syed Zahir Ali Shah was a provincial minister in the past.

This new alliance is challenging the Businessman Forum which is headed by Awami National Party leader, Ilyas Ahmad Bilour, the younger brother of elderly politician Ghulam Ahmad Bilour. The Businessman Forum chief has remained a member of the Senate for multiple times.

The leaders of both the bodies - Sarhad Business Alliance and Businessman Forum-are running a hectic campaign for the SCCI election.The Sarhad Business Alliance’s Patron-in-Chief, Ghulam Ali, and Chairman Syed Zahir Ali Shah, along with Muhammad Ishaq and others on Monday visited various markets in Namak Mandi which houses the largest number of medicine wholesale shops.

Sirajuddin, Mamoor, Ashad Siddiqui, Manzoor Elahi, including Shahrukh Khan, Bakht Mir Jan, Ghulam Bilal Javid, Adnan Jaleel, Muhammad Ikram, Ikramullah Khan, Riaz Hussain, Dr. Yousaf Sarwar, Sher Zaman Mohmand, Muhammad Ishaq, Malik Sajjad, Aurangzeb, Muhammad Iqbal, and other trade leaders were there.

Later, a dinner was hosted for the alliance candidates at Luqman Shah’s residence. During the event, all the market presidents were briefed on the alliance manifesto.Ghulam Ali, Syed Zahir Ali Shah, and Malik Meher Elahi stated that the alliance wanted to restore the prestige of the SCCI and resolve the traders’ issues.