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Saarc Chamber's future to be discussed at Male on 17th

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The future of Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), which hangs in balance following the aberrations caused in Pakistan-India relations due to Indian government's hostile attitude and the campaign launched to denigrate Pakistan, would come up for discussion at the 17th executive committee meeting of SCCI scheduled to be held in Male, Maldives, on January 17.

A five-member Pakistan delegation led by Sheikh Jamil Mehboob Magoon, vice-president, SCCI, will leave here on January 16 for Male to participate in the meeting. Since Kantikumar R. Podar, who hails from India, would relinquish charge after completing his two-year term in office in favour of Qasim Ibrahim, President designate, SCCI, an attempt may be made by the participating member states to save the trade body from disintegration.

Podar had taken over as SCCI President, from Salman F Rahman of Bangladesh on November 13, 1997 promising to turn the Saarc region into a viable economic entity. But most of his dreams, particularly an 'economic union' under Saarc, could not take any shape.

He had also highlighted the practical difficulties of infrastructure that exist in transporting goods from one country to the other in the Saarc countries and had urged Saarc governments to facilitate free movement of goods by signing regional agreements on roads, rails, shipping and air. But nothing could be achieved in this regard.

Although Sheikh Jamil Mehboob Magoon had been able to get a plot of land alloted from the government for the construction of SCCI headquarters building, A.S.Kasliwal, Vice-President, SCCI from India had made it clear in a meeting that the funds which he and other colleagues would be raising would be for endowment fund and not for construction of the building.

The plot measures 3,111 sq. yards. The cost of the land is Rs. 93,33,330 in addition Rs. 513,333 are to be paid as taxes. Magoon had been able to persuade concerned authorities to accept payment in eight quarterly installments. So far payment of taxes and first installment of the land has been made out of the revenues of SCCI. Podar had also desired that no further payment should be made out of the revenues of SCCI and had suggested that funds may be raised by renting of the plot to interested parties.

Magoon while clarifying the position had informed the meeting that his plans were also to rent a few stories of the proposed building to bank and use the advance received for construction and payment of cost of land. A building committee under the chairmanship of Magoon was approved.

With Maldives in the driving seat, it would be interesting to watch how Indians would take this change in leadership. To save the SCCI from disintegration, Indians will have to occupy the back seat.