President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Shamim Ahmed Firpo has welcomed the withdrawal of the condition of prior approval from the Interior Ministry for bullet-proofing of private vehicles. He said that the KCCI was the first and only trade body across the country which kept demanding withdrawal of the unreasonable NOC condition for bullet-proofing of private vehicles.

"KCCI had demanded withdrawal of NOC in its letters sent to the Federal Interior Ministry from time to time and also issued press statements about the same, a couple of years ago," he cited. He said that finally, the newly-appointed Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal gave deserved precedence to their fair demand by issuing directives to immediately reverse the previous policy which the business and industrial community highly appreciated.

Firpo congratulated Ahsan Iqbal for taking the wise decision as per aspirations of the business and industrial community. "Although the law and order situation has gradually improved since the commencement of Karachi operation in September 2013, yet as of today, no one can claim that cent percent peace and tranquility prevails across the city," he said, adding that, therefore, the business community was compelled to make private security arrangements and get their vehicles bullet-proofed at their own expense so that they could move fearlessly and safely across the city.

KCCI president said that acquiring an NOC from Interior Ministry was an uphill task which but Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal termed this exercise as "mark of red tape" and immediately ordered to withdraw the NOC condition. "It seems that the government has finally begun paying some attention to the fair demands of business and industrial community of Karachi which is a positive sign and will surely go in favor of the economy, keeping in view the mammoth contribution of more than 65 percent revenue by Karachi," he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017