Karachi: Tensions escalate in the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) as allegations of election rigging surface. The Businessmen’s Alliance (BMA) has accused the ruling Businessmen’s Group (BMG) of employing illegal tactics to manipulate the upcoming 2024-26 chamber elections, claiming unfair practices in the allocation of candidate serial numbers.

According to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Asif Sakhi, leader of the BMA, stated that their candidates were denied serial numbers while the BMG candidates were assigned numbers from 1 to 30. The BMA had applied for serial numbers earlier, but the BMG allegedly allocated numbers only within its group, excluding BMA nominees. This action, as per Sakhi, indicates an intent to skew the election process in favor of BMG.

Sakhi has appealed to Commerce Minister Jam Kamal to intervene, urging measures to prevent the BMG chairman, who also holds a government position, from influencing the election. Moreover, Sakhi has called for the establishment of an impartial election commission to oversee the KCCI elections, expressing serious reservations about the neutrality of the currently nominated commission.