ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce has taken the Ministry of Commerce to task for delaying approval of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) as a consolidated chamber for the entire city. At a recent meeting, Committee Chairman Jawed Hanif Khan sought an update on the matter. Special Secretary Commerce Syed Hamid Ali informed the panel that the ministry had sought the viewpoint of the Ministry of Law and Justice on the proposal. The chairman expressed displeasure over what he termed the “icy attitude” of the ministry’s top brass on an already decided matter, directing that approval be obtained from the federal cabinet without further delay and without waiting for the Law Ministry’s advice, as the case has been pending for the past six months. Committee member Asad Alam Niazi stated that he possessed a copy of the Law Ministry’s letter on the issue, a development that further irked the chairman. In an earlier meeting, the Commerce Ministry had briefed the committee on implementation of its recommendations regarding KCCI. It informed the panel that, under Section 3 (2) (b) of the relevant law, all administrative districts of Karachi could be treated as a single unit for representation purposes. This would allow KCCI to continue as a unified chamber while also permitting establishment of district chambers without affecting its legal status or historical standing. The ministry further explained that, through exemptions under the Trade Organisations Act, 2013 and the relevant rules, issuance of licences to district chambers would not automatically result in deregistration of KCCI members. Dual membership in KCCI and respective district chambers would be permitted, and all Karachi chambers would be treated as a single metropolitan structure for purposes of eligibility and the mandatory two-year cooling-off period to ensure compliance with the spirit of the law. A member of the committee recorded a note stating that, in line with his party’s policy, KCCI should remain intact as the sole representative chamber of the Karachi business community. The committee, in principle, agreed with the ministry’s proposal submitted to the government and directed the Commerce Ministry to keep it informed of the government’s final decision on KCCI’s status. In its written comments, the Law Ministry stated that KCCI’s request for consolidation of all Karachi districts into a single chamber may be considered in accordance with Section 3 (2) (b) of the Act. It further noted that, under Section 33 of the Trade Organisations Act, 2013, the concerned division may issue an order to merge trade organisations. Section 33 provides that, notwithstanding any other law or provisions in the memorandum and articles of association of a trade organisation, the division to which the business of the Act is allocated may, through notification in the official Gazette, direct merger of trade organisations engaged in the same or substantially similar trade, industry or services. In cases where two or more organisations operate in similar sectors, the decision of the concerned division regarding merger shall be final. The Law Ministry has advised the Commerce Ministry to consider KCCI’s application for consolidation in light of these provisions, while examining the administrative and financial implications independently. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026