Changing loyalty, it seems, has become an indispensable part of our national character. The virus common in national politics has now spread to trade politics as well. Those reputed for having strong character, much to the disenchantment of their well-wishers, keep on moving back and forth for personal gains and satisfaction of individual greed. The result being that institutions have lost their reputation and the word of those who occupy high offices in trade bodies carry no weight.
It is a common knowledge that trade body offices are traded and the highest bidder gets the office of his choice. The disease is more rampant in the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry's (FPCCI) elections because of the existence of a large number of chambers and associations which form the electoral college but exist on paper only.
The main groups contesting the KCCI office of the President are BMG businessmen group led by Siraj Kassam Teli and the other Businessmen Forum led by Tariq Sayeed.
In the FPCCI elections his group contests under the title of Businessmen Panel (BP) but in the KCCI, the group becomes Businessmen Forum (BF). Senator Ilyas Bilour, who actually heads the Businessmen Forum, had recently accused Tariq Sayeed of stealing the title of his group to take advantage of the goodwill and lure the BF voters.
It would be unfair not to accept the fact that Tariq Sayeed continues to hold his position firmly, in the face of heavy odds and all sorts of accusations. He has survived all the attempts made so far by his opponents to ostracise him.
Speaking at an Iftar party hosted by Sultan Chawla, presidential candidate of Businessmen Forum, at the residence of Haji Shafique-ur-Rehman on Monday, Tariq Sayeed advised the ruling group in KCCI to respect the constitution and desist from making efforts to deprive the "Urdu bradri" from its legitimate right of occupying the office of the KCCI president.
He recalled that the ruling group had increased the 40-year-old tenure of one year of the president to two-year, but now again, ignoring the directives of the Director Trade Organisations (DTO) have reduced the same to one year. He said it was incumbent on the group to support Urdu bradri's candidate in the election to protect their interests. He predicted a clear victory of his nominee in the November 12 election.
On the other hand, Siraj Kassam Teli, leader of BMG businessmen group, talking to newsmen here on Monday, claimed that the nominee of his group for the office of the KCCI president, Haroon Farooqui would defeat his rival by more than 70 percent votes.
He said that the Businessmen Forum has become nervous because in the elections held two months back to elect managing committee members, all the positions were bagged by his group and his opponents were totally annihilated.
He warned that those who are conspiring to sow the seeds of provincialism and hatred in KCCI are the same people who have always placed their personal interests above the interests of business community.
Another leader of BMG businessmen group, Tahir Khaliq, said that after completing its term the Urdu bradri candidate Khalid Feroz vacated his office gracefully for the next term of Punjabi bradri without any pressure as per agreed principles.
Muneer Sultan said that all the three bradris belonging to KCCI have full faith and confidence in Haroon Farooqui, nominee of BMG businessmen group, for the office of President KCCI.