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Karachi, November 28, 2016 (PPI-OT): In response to Siraj Kassam Teli’s suggestions on how to enhance collaboration between Karachi Chamber and PAC Kamra, Chairman Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra, Air Marshal Arshad Malik SI (M) assented to form a committee comprising KCCI and PAC representatives in order to come up with opportunities and ideas on how to augment collaboration between the two institutions.
Chairman PAC named Air Vice Marshal Fawad Younis along with two other officers for KCCI-PAC Committee whereas Chairman Businessmen Group and Former President KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli nominated Former President KCCI Mian Abrar Ahmed to lead KCCI in the said committee along with at least 4 to 5 other relevant representatives from the Chamber.
The formation of KCCI-PAC Committee was mutually agreed by both institutions during a joint seminar on “Enhancing Collaboration between KCCI and PAC Kamra” held at the Karachi Chamber which, besides Chairman PAC and Chairman BMG, was also attended by Vice Chairmen BMG Tahir Khaliq and Zubair Motiwala, President KCCI Shamim Ahmed Firpo, Senior Vice President Asif Nisar, Vice President Muhammad Younus Soomro, Former Presidents AQ Khalil and Younus Muhammad Bashir, Managing Committee members and other notable business figures whereas from PAC Kamra, Air Vice Marshal Fawad Younis, Air Vice Marshal Salman Ahmed Bokhari, Air Commodore Ahmed Aizaz, Air Commodore Mohammad Atif, Group Captain Aamir Hasan and Group Capitan Jahanzeb Khan were also present on the occasion.
PAC Chairman saluted Siraj Kassam Teli for promptly suggesting to form KCCI-PAC Committee and immediately announcing the name of Mian Abrar Ahmed to lead Karachi Chamber in this important committee. Air Marshal Arshad Malik said, “Today, we have taken a small step which is going to turn out to be a very solid foundation InshAllah.”
Referring to the recent tensions going on at the borders, Chairman PAC said that they were well aware of what was going on, what needs to be done and if, unfortunately, the situation comes, they know what to do. “We assure that you can keep doing business in a safe manner”, he added.
He further pointed out that Pakistan Air Force has done very well and PAC Kamra has absorbed different technologies from time to time. “We are the only air force in the world which produces, designs, manufactures and exports fighter aircrafts”, he added.
Air Marshal Arshad Malik, while referring to recent deal with Turkish Air Force, said that PAC’s indigenous Super Mushshaks were selected by Turkey not on the basis of brotherly relations but purely on the basis of merit, out of competitors from United States, Greece and Germany.
“We have huge technological potential but we don’t know how to capitalize and use that”, he said, while seeking business and industrial community’s help. “We are not eyeing in your pockets but we are only eyeing at the acumen of Karachi city’s business and industrial community which we don’t have. Private sector should come up, capitalize, work together and take over. We need to learn from each other and any inputs, comments, suggestions from KCCI will be very positively taken by PAC.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Businessmen Group and Former President KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli underscored the need to create some kind of a system between Karachi Chamber and PAC Kamra which must focus on strengthening collaboration between the two institutions. “We the businessmen and industrialists can do a lot for PAC Kamra and the first step, in this regard, will be to form a joint committee and create linkages between the KCCI’s Research and Development Department and PAC Kamra”, he added.
He underscored that KCCI-PAC committee should be established in which KCCI representatives will be led by its Former President Mian Abrar Ahmed, who will also nominate 4 to 5 relevant members for this committee. Siraj Teli stated that the Karachi Chamber has a wide range of members from small shopkeepers to leading industrialists whose details can be shared through the proposed Committee as per PAC Kamra’s needs.
Stressing the need to make it a proactive Committee, he advised that a meeting of this committee should be convened at the earliest either in Karachi or Islamabad or Kamra in which a checklist on what needs to be done in which areas should be finalized.
Siraj Teli further requested to share PAC presentation and other relevant data with Karachi Chamber so that it could be circulated amongst KCCI’s 22,000 members and can also be uploaded on its website in order to raise awareness about the aims and intentions of PAC. “Much has been suggested by Vice Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, KCCI President Shamim Firpo and other guests but positive results will only be achieved when all these suggestions are materialized and they become ground reality”, he added.
Highlighting the significance of Karachi, Siraj Teli informed Chairman PAC that Karachi is the largest city of Pakistan with a strong population of more than 20 million and it was spread on a massive land of 3500 square kilometres, contributing more than 65 percent revenue to the national exchequer. “Many people say that Karachi is mini Pakistan but I strongly believe that Karachi is Pakistan which is the right place for PAC to start collaboration and we will try our best to support PAC in achieving its goals”, he added.
Thanks to Businessmen Group’s clear policy of ‘Public Service’, BMG has succeeded in winning KCCI’s election since last 19 years, of which elections held during the last 10 consecutive years were won unopposed by the Group which indicates the trust and confidence of entire business and industrial community, he added.
Earlier President KCCI, Shamim Ahmed Firpo in his remarks, appreciated PAC Kamra for jointly organizing seminar with a focus on enhancing collaboration which would surely bring the two institutions more close to each other and pave way for exploring opportunities of how to work collectively for furthering the national aviation industry.
He also congratulated Air Marshal Arshad Malik, Chairman PAC on signing a contract during Ideas 2016 Exhibition for sale of 52 Super Mushshaks to Turkish Air Force for training of its pilots, which was yet another significant milestone achieved by PAC.
“PAC deserves to be given credit for its hard work due to which Pakistan received the honour of supplying state of art modern defense technologies to the world. It is heartening to note that Pakistani Super Mushshak is already in service in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran, Syria, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, South Africa and Qatar”, he added.
He was of the view that in the current global scenario and with increasing tension at the borders, the need for improving the country’s defense capabilities has greatly increased whereas it was encouraging to see that PAC has been proactively working towards enhancing its capacities.
“We, being the patriotic and loyal citizens of our beloved country, would like to extend full support and cooperation of the business and industrial community of Karachi for capacity escalation of the national aviation industry”, he added.
President KCCI paid glowing tribute to Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif who made many bold decisions during his three years of service regardless of how the world reacted. “By initiating Karachi Operation, Gen. Raheel Sharif gave Karachiites a new hope for the future. Under his supervision, incidents pertaining to lawlessness and terrorism across Pakistan were drastically reduced. His unconventional support for China Pakistan Economic Corridor played a vital role in bringing the project to life”, he added.
For more information, contact:
Director Press/Electronic Media and Public Relations
Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI)
Aiwan-e-Tijarat Road, Off Shahrah-e-Liaquat,
Karachi-74000
Phone: +92-21-99218001-09
Fax: +92-21-99218040
Email: info@kcci.com.pk, secretary@kcci.com.pk
Website: www.kcci.com.pk