Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry

28/08/2026

Chief (Ops), IR-Operations Wing, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Mirza Nasir Ali, called on Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Rehan Hanif at the Chamber. The meeting discussed matters of mutual interest and avenues for enhanced collaboration between FBR and the business community. Vice President KCCI Arif Lakhani, Former President Zubair Motiwala (via Zoom), Ex-Officio Jawed Bilwani and Executive Committee members were also present.

27/08/2026

Dr. Muhammad Hanif Tayyab, Chairman Nizam-e-Mustafa Party, was warmly welcomed at Karachi Chamber by President Rehan Hanif , Vice President Arif Lakhani and Executive Committee Members. He highly praised KCCI’s matchless efforts in securing compensation for Gul Plaza affectees and lauded the Chamber’s outstanding service to the business community.

25/08/2026

Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Punjab (BOP) Exchange Khawar Shahid Ansari visited the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to meet President KCCI Rehan Hanif, Vice President Arif Lakhani and others.

24/08/2026

The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a consultative session on sustainable chemical management. The session was led by Ms. Nazia Zaib Ali, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) whereas President KCCI Rehan Hanif, Vice President Arif Lakhani and other Executive Members also attended the session.

21/08/2026

*Chief Collector Customs assures KCCI of faster clearance, reduced physical examination*

KARACHI: Chief Collector Customs Appraisement Wajid Ali has assured the business community that Customs will utilize newly installed scanning facilities to reduce physical examination of cargo, improve clearance times and prevent recurring backlogs at Karachi’s terminals, emphasizing that greater coordination between Customs, terminal operators and trade is essential for effective trade facilitation.
Addressing an interactive meeting at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) on Wednesday, Wajid Ali said the purpose of installing scanners was specifically to reduce physical examinations and that Customs was working with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to avoid unnecessary physical examination where scanning was available.
President KCCI Rehan Hanif, Senior Vice President KCCI Muhammad Raza, Senior Vice President Arif Lakhani, Chairman Customs & Valuation Subcommittee Junaid Mehmood, Former Presidents Zubair Motiwala, Tariq Yousuf, Shamim Ahmed Firpo, Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, and KCCI Executive Committee Members also attended the meeting.
Wajid Ali further said risk-management mechanisms would also be strengthened to prevent cargo backlogs, particularly at KICT, while Customs would examine operational arrangements with terminal operators and the business community to improve cargo movement and clearance.
Wajid Ali stressed that direct interaction with the business community was vital for understanding the genuine day-to-day problems faced by trade, noting that such issues could not always be identified through internal meetings or official directions. While appreciating KCCI for raising its concerns in a professional and precise manner, Chief Collector said that resolving genuine issues promptly benefited not only individual businesses but also clearance times, revenue collection and overall trade facilitation.
Wajid Ali also agreed that Customs processes should have clearly defined timelines and measurable performance benchmarks, in line with international best practices. He acknowledged that while statutory deadlines were often strictly enforced on businesses, corresponding timelines were not always available for processes where businesses awaited action from Customs, and agreed that the matter required consideration at the policy level.
On the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism, Wajid Ali said the relevant law had been amended and a broader committee, headed by a retired judge and including Customs and business representatives, had been constituted. He stressed that the mechanism needed to become fully operational to reduce litigation and provide faster resolution of disputes.
He assured the business community that Customs would continue examining issues relating to valuation, classification, examination, laboratory reports and other operational bottlenecks, while stressing that the objective remained to facilitate legitimate trade without compromising revenue protection.
Former President KCCI Zubair Motiwala, who joined the meeting via Zoom, appreciated the Customs leadership for its responsiveness but emphasized that defined timelines and greater automation were essential to eliminate remaining bottlenecks.
He particularly called for modernization of the duty-calculation process, stressing that routine duty calculations should be processed through an automated system without repetitive approvals or unnecessary human intervention.
Motiwala said automation would reduce processing time, minimize human error and provide businesses with greater predictability. He also appreciated the Green Channel mechanism and called for further strengthening of technology-based facilitation for compliant businesses.
Earlier, President KCCI Rehan Hanif, while welcoming Chief Collector, highly appreciated Wajid Ali’s responsiveness, describing him as a senior and highly reputed FBR officer who had consistently addressed business concerns on a priority basis. He said KCCI had no major complaints regarding Customs operations under Wajid Ali’s supervision, although several proposals were being put forward to further strengthen the system.
Giving the example of the recent KICT backlog, Rehan Hanif said that after contacting the Chief Collector regarding the issue, Wajid Ali convened a meeting with KICT and business representatives the very next morning to work towards its resolution. He also appreciated the accessibility of senior Customs officials and their prompt response to business concerns.
Rehan Hanif urged Customs to increase the number of Additional Collectors of Customs (ADCs), pointing out that the shortage was placing excessive workload on available officers and forcing businesses to approach senior officials for matters that could be resolved at the ADC level.
He also called for a mechanism to ensure that examination assignments were completed without unnecessary delays when officers were rotated. He suggested that once an examination was assigned, it should preferably be completed by the same officer or properly handed over to ensure continuity.
President KCCI further called for making the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (ADRC) fully operational, with appropriate representation from Customs and the business community, so that disputes could be resolved through consultation rather than prolonged litigation. He also urged that Classification Committee decisions be promptly uploaded online to provide businesses with greater transparency and certainty.
Rehan Hanif also requested reconsideration of the discontinuation of small-vessel and launch operations for exports, particularly as such vessels could prove useful during any future regional disruption to conventional maritime operations.

20/08/2026

The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) signed MoUs with nine leading healthcare institutions for provision of quality and affordable healthcare services to its business community at KCCI. The ceremony was attended by President Rehan Hanif, Senior Vice President Muhammad Raza,
Vice President Arif Lakhani, Chairman Social Media/Health & Welfare Sub-Committee Farhan Ashrafi and other members of the Executive Committee.
The partner institutions include The Aga Khan University Hospital, Al-Mustafa Welfare , Dr. Essa Laboratory , Khadim-e-Insaniyat Trust, SHED Foundation, Hashmanis Hospital, Karachi X-Rays , Chughtai Healthcare & Advance Laboratories.

19/08/2026

A delegation led jointly by Chairman Sindh Tajir Ittehad and Electronics & Motorcycles Dealers Alliance Sheikh Habib and Secretary General from Markazi Tanzeem Tajiran Pakistan Syed Abdul Qayyum Agha visited Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry to meet President KCCI Rehan Hanif, Senior Vice President Muhammad Raza, Vice President Muhammad Arif Lakhani and EC members were also present on the occasion.

17/08/2026

14/08/2026

CM Sindh backs $100bn export vision, vows to push down energy costs
Murad says Thar coal, indigenous gas, wind & solar can transform economic fortunes

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday threw his weight behind the business community’s ambitious vision of taking Pakistan’s exports from around $30 billion to $100 billion, declaring that the target was “absolutely achievable” provided the country harnessed Sindh’s enormous indigenous energy potential and implemented policies aimed at reducing the cost of doing business and making Pakistani products globally competitive.
Speaking as Chief Guest at the 79th Independence Day Flag Hoisting Ceremony organized by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), the Chief Minister said Pakistan had demonstrated its strength on the defence and diplomatic fronts and “the next battle we have to win is on the economic front.” He called for unity between the government and business community to achieve sustainable economic growth and strengthen Pakistan’s position in global markets.
Minister for Commerce & Industries Jam Ikramullah Khan Dharejo, Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjhar, Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani, Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani, President KCCI Rehan Hanif, and others were also present on the occasion.
CM Murad Ali Shah specifically endorsed Chairman Businessmen Group (BMG) Zubair Motiwala’s proposal to increase exports to $100 billion, noting that Pakistan had the potential to achieve this target. He pointed out that overseas Pakistanis were already sending around $40 billion in remittances, while the country’s export sector had the capacity to substantially increase its contribution if competitive policies and a conducive business environment were ensured.
The Chief Minister said Sindh could become Pakistan’s energy basket, possessing vast reserves of Thar coal as well as significant potential in solar, wind and indigenous gas. He maintained that inexpensive electricity generated from indigenous resources could help reduce production costs, enhance industrial competitiveness and enable Pakistani exporters to compete more effectively in international markets.
He particularly stressed the importance of fully utilizing Thar coal to reduce energy costs, saying that Pakistan could not afford to undermine a resource capable of providing relatively inexpensive energy. He also called for greater exploration and utilization of Sindh’s indigenous gas resources instead of excessive reliance on imported gas.
CM Murad Ali Shah urged the Karachi Chamber and the wider business community to strengthen their collective voice before the federal government for policies that would lower the cost of doing business and energy costs, describing these as essential prerequisites for boosting exports, investment and industrial activity.
The Chief Minister also appreciated KCCI’s continued cooperation with the Sindh Government in dealing with crises affecting the business community, particularly the Gul Plaza tragedy and earlier incidents at Timber Market and Bolton Market, where traders had suffered enormous financial losses and families had endured personal tragedies.
He assured the Chamber that the Sindh Government would also examine the concerns of Nasla Tower affectees, acknowledging that they had suffered serious hardship. He said he would discuss the matter with members of his cabinet to explore possible solutions.
On the ongoing transporters’ strike, CM Murad Ali Shah said the matter was almost resolved, with only a few points remaining under discussion. He directed the provincial Transport Department to make efforts to settle the remaining issues at the earliest so that the disruption facing transporters, industries and businesses could be brought to an end.
Earlier, Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala called for a fundamental shift in the way Independence Day was observed, saying that the occasion should not merely be marked by flag-hoisting and ceremonial activities but should also provide an opportunity for collective introspection and a renewed commitment to Pakistan’s economic progress.
He said the country’s economic shortcomings could not be attributed solely to successive governments, as the business community and other stakeholders also had to accept responsibility. He argued that Pakistan could take exports from $30 billion to $100 billion if the cost of doing business and manufacturing was brought at par with competing countries.
Motiwala proposed that the government undertake a comprehensive cost-comparison study of Pakistan and major competing economies, including India, Bangladesh and Cambodia, to identify the factors making Pakistani products less competitive internationally. He also stressed the need to modernize agriculture to increase productivity and strengthen the country’s export base.
He urged the business community to ask not merely what Pakistan had given them but what they had given Pakistan, calling upon every citizen to contribute to the country according to his or her capacity.
Chairman BMG also appreciated the Sindh Government’s cooperation on the Gul Plaza reconstruction process, informing the gathering that an initial meeting on demolition and reconstruction had been held and that KCCI had submitted the relevant Terms of Reference.
Earlier, President KCCI Rehan Hanif, while welcoming the Chief Minister, thanked him for regularly attending KCCI events and for his continued support to the business community. He said Pakistan had achieved notable successes on the defence and diplomatic fronts in recent years and that the country must now focus on achieving economic self-reliance through collective efforts by the federal and provincial governments, bureaucracy and business community.
President KCCI particularly appreciated the Sindh Government’s extensive support to Gul Plaza affectees and requested the Chief Minister to consider further assistance for affected traders who were still awaiting reconstruction of their business premises and facing livelihood difficulties.
He also urged the Sindh Government to introduce and effectively enforce measures against dangerous and drunk driving, noting that reckless driving posed a serious threat to the lives and safety of citizens.