LCCI Strongly Advocates ‘One City, One Chamber’ Principle

Clarifies Misconceptions Regarding Trade Organisations Rules 2013 Amendment Bill

By Muhammad Shahzad | Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) has strongly advocated the principle of “One City, One Chamber,” clarifying its position on the proposed Trade Organizations Rules 2013 Amendment Bill and dismissing what it termed as widespread misconceptions.
President LCCI Faheem ur Rehman Saigol stated that the proposed amendment is purely clarificatory in nature and is aimed at ensuring unified citywide representation, particularly in the case of Karachi.
In an official communication addressed to Chambers of Commerce & Industry across Pakistan, the LCCI president emphasized that the amendment does not override, dilute, or negate the Trade Organizations Act, 2013. Instead, it seeks to address what he described as a structural anomaly unique to Karachi.
Under the existing law, a chamber may be established for each district. Across Pakistan, this provision has not created complications because major metropolitan cities such as Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Faisalabad, and Peshawar fall within single administrative districts and are represented by one unified chamber each.
However, Saigol noted that Karachi is a unique case. Unlike other metropolitan cities, it has been administratively divided into multiple districts for governance purposes. He stressed that this administrative arrangement was never intended to fragment the city’s commercial identity or economic representation. The mechanical application of the district-based provision to Karachi, he argued, has resulted in the unprecedented situation of multiple chambers operating within a single metropolitan city.
The LCCI president reiterated that Karachi, like every other major city in Pakistan, should be represented by one unified institution. He said the proposed amendment to the Trade Organizations Rules, 2013 is aimed at ensuring parity so that Karachi is treated on the same footing as other metropolitan centers.
He further clarified that the amendment will not affect any chamber, trade body, or association elsewhere in the country. It does not alter the legal status, jurisdiction, or operational mandate of any existing organization outside Karachi. The proposal is confined exclusively to ensuring unified representation of the business community in the country’s largest economic hub through the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which has been serving the business community since 1959.
Saigol also highlighted the longstanding, constructive relations between LCCI and other chambers nationwide, particularly in presenting joint budget proposals and raising a unified voice on national economic matters. He categorically rejected suggestions of vested interest or targeting, asserting that LCCI would never adopt a stance that undermines fellow chambers.
At a time when Pakistan’s business community faces significant economic challenges, Saigol emphasized that institutional consistency and unified advocacy are essential. Fragmentation of representation in the country’s principal commercial center, he warned, could dilute collective influence and create unnecessary confusion.
Expressing confidence in nationwide support, he urged the business community to back the “One City, One Chamber” principle to preserve cohesion, parity, and effective representation.