KARACHI: Chairman Businessmen Group (BMG) Zubair Motiwala and Chairman Businessmen Panel (BMP) Mian Anjum Nisar have announced the formation of the Pakistan Businessmen Alliance (PBA), bringing the two major business groups together to contest all positions in the forthcoming Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) elections for 2027–28, including the president’s slot.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The alliance will also seek the support of like-minded business groups and individuals, with a stated objective of promoting democratic practices, electoral transparency, institutional fairness and equitable representation of all provinces in the country’s apex trade body.
Announcing the decision at a press conference held at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Thursday, the two leaders said the alliance had become necessary following recent developments involving the rejection of nomination papers submitted by KCCI and other trade organisations by the FPCCI Secretary General. They raised concerns over procedural fairness, transparency and the protection of Sindh’s legitimate electoral rights.
Motiwala and Nisar said BMG and BMP had decided to contest the elections collectively to ensure that every trade organisation receives its rightful electoral representation and that the election process strictly follows FPCCI’s governing rules, democratic principles and established provincial rotational arrangements.
They further clarified that the partnership would extend beyond the 2027–28 elections, serving as a long-term platform to address Pakistan’s economic challenges. Both groups intend to jointly advocate economic reforms, industrialisation, export growth, investment, employment generation and resolution of issues confronting the business community.
Discussing the controversy surrounding the proposed presidential candidature and Sindh’s upcoming rotational turn, Motiwala questioned the electoral and organisational affiliations of the individual being considered for representation from Sindh. He called for documentary verification of the individual’s voting history, previous electoral participation and positions held in Punjab.
He also referred to an alleged change in the individual’s electoral record with the Election Commission of Pakistan in October 2025, arguing that the relevant documents should be examined before any claim of provincial representation is accepted.
Motiwala maintained that provincial representation should be determined through verifiable electoral records, the originating trade organisation and applicable rules rather than an individual’s residential or business address.
He stated that the previous presidential turn had been allocated to the Federal region, while the forthcoming turn rightfully belonged to Sindh. He questioned the apparent departure from the established rotational sequence and urged stakeholders to uphold the agreed mechanism.
“Why should the established rotational arrangement be compromised when the turn belongs to Sindh? If every province is expected to respect the sequence, the same principle must apply equally to everyone,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of the rotational system, Motiwala said it was not merely a procedural formality but an institutional mechanism to ensure equitable participation of all provinces in FPCCI’s leadership. Any deviation, he warned, could undermine provincial representation and set an undesirable precedent for future elections.
He urged chambers, trade associations and other stakeholders to unite in support of transparent electoral practices and Sindh’s legitimate representation in the federation.
Highlighting Karachi’s economic significance, Motiwala said the city contributes more than 67 per cent of Pakistan’s national revenue and 54 per cent of its exports. He stressed that Karachi’s role in the national economy and Sindh’s entitlement under the rotational arrangement must be duly recognised.
Reaffirming their commitment, Motiwala said the alliance would defend KCCI’s institutional rights and the legitimate electoral representation of the business community through all available legal and regulatory forums, if necessary.
He added that the decision to contest the forthcoming FPCCI elections reflected the need to collectively protect the rights of trade organisations and ensure that established electoral principles were respected.
