Chairman BMG Siraj Teli passes away, Entire business & industrial community saddened over demise of Chairman BMG: KCCI

The Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) would like to inform with deep grief and sorrow that Chairman Businessmen Group and Former President KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli passed away on Tuesday in Dubai due to cardiac arrest.

Vice Chairmen BMG Tahir Khaliq, Zubair Motiwala, Haroon Farooki & Anjum Nisar, General Secretary BMG AQ Khalil, President KCCI M. Shariq Vohra, Senior Vice President KCCI Saqib Goodluck, Vice President Shamsul Islam Khan, KCCI Managing Committee Members, all BMGIANs and the prominent members of the business & industrial community have expressed deep grief and sorrow on sad demised of Siraj Teli who will always be remembered for his exceptional and dedicated services to the business and industrial community.

They prayed that may Almighty Allah place the departed soul in Jannat ul Firdous and grant courage to the members of the bereaved family, friends, well-wishers and all BMGIANs to bear this irreparable loss. Details about Namaz-e-Janaza and funeral will be announced in due course.

To mourn the sad demise of Late Siraj Kassam Teli, the Karachi Chamber will remain closed for three days except the Attestation and Media Departments which would remain partially open.

Late Siraj Kassam Teli was a distinguished industrialist possessing eminent qualities of leadership. He belonged to a renowned family that has been active in business since the inception of Pakistan. Siraj Teli’s valuable family background has been a great source of strength in enabling him to conduct his life ethically and successfully.

As Chairman of the Businessmen Group, Siraj Teli was recognized for his extraordinary leadership of the Business and Industrial community over the past 25 years. He brought about revolutionary and progressive changes in trade politics and in the functioning of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the SITE Association of Industry and other platforms of public service and social work.

Siraj Kassam Teli also served as Director of Pakistan Beverage Ltd., (Pepsi-Cola) Karachi, Hyderabad and Quetta. Apart from the beverage sector, he had considerable experience in textiles, dairy products and energy and he was also a Director of Gul Ahmed Energy Limited, Metro Power Company, Yassir Fruit Juice, Haji Kassam Haji Mohammad & Co. and Pakola Products (Pvt) Limited.

To recognize Siraj Teli’s outstanding contribution to the national economy and public service, the then President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari was pleased to confer the award “Sitara-e-Imtiaz”.

Siraj Teli’s services to the private sector, his efforts for the industrial development and his endeavor for the unity of the nation in general and business and industrial community in particular, his aggressive and creative plans to boost export and his contribution to the economic development of the country were indeed creditable and commendable that is why he was conferred with Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) by the Faculty of Management & Social Sciences of the Institute of Business & Technology (BIZTEK).

Siraj served on the boards of many government and semi-government organizations as a representative of the business community. These include SITE Limited, Land Utilization, Port Qasim Authority, Civil Aviation Authority Sindh Workers Welfare Board, Workers Welfare Fund, KESC and many educational institutions. He was also serving as Board of Trustee in Karachi Port Trust. He and his family made discreet contributions to many philanthropic causes.

Siraj Teli also served as President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Chairman, Pakistan Beverage Manufacturers Association and Patron-in-Chief and Chairman of the SITE Association of Industry.

Siraj Kassam Teli’s unrelenting, sincere and honest efforts have changed the outlook of Trade Politics. As a result, now genuine stakeholders are seen taking part in the affairs of KCCI. His leadership had been instrumental in changing the mindset of the Business Community in such a manner that the Chamber now looks after the general interest of Karachi as a whole and, without any discrimination of cast, color or creed.

Late Siraj Kassam Teli’s services to the private sector, his efforts for industrial development, his endeavors for the unity of the nation in general and business and industrial community in particular and his contribution to the economic development of the country, were indeed commendable and will always be remembered.

PRESIDENT ZARDARI AGREED FOR UTILIZING LEFTOVER RELIEF FUND FOR DEVELOPMENT OF KARACHI

President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, lauded Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, specially, Chairman, Businessmen Group & former President-KCCI, Siraj Kassam Teli for their relief and rehabilitation efforts to affectees of Ashura incident. President of Pakistan said that the two political parties of Sindh, made joint efforts and proved the fact that democracy is better than dictatorship. He was addressing at the pay-orders distribution ceremony to affectees of Bolton Markets and other markets, held on Chief Minister House, yesterday. President said that his government believes on accommodating democracy and taking forward the policy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. President, in response to the demand of Chairman, Businessmen Group and former President-KCCI, Siraj Kassam Teli, announced his consent to spend the leftover amount of the Federal Government’s announced and provided relief fund of Rs.3 billion for the development of Karachi and gave instruction to concerned authorities to plan for spending the leftover fund for making green, to purchase modern technology and machinery for police and fire brigade department and for Karachi’s Disaster Management Cell, and he has no objection for utilizing the leftover fund by the present committee or by making another committee of Sindh Government with representation of Siraj Teli.

Earlier, Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Governor of Sindh, Dr. Ishrat ul Ibad Khan, commended Karachi Affected Markets Relief Committee and Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry for supporting and helping out the affectees, and said that the Government of Sindh, with a passion of service, helped the affectees for their relief and rehabilitation. Governor Sindh, Dr. Ishrat Ul Ibad Khan said that on the instruction of Quaid-e-Tehrik, Altaf Hussain, he helped the affectees in a best way possible. Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that some people were intolerant about peace in the Sindh province, and the Ashura Incident is an act to sabotage peace, however, Government will punish such elements accordingly.
Previously, Siraj Kassam Teli, Chairman Businessmen Group & former President-KCCI, for the relief and rehabilitation of victims of affected markets expressed cordial gratitude and compliments, especially to President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari and Governor of Sindh, Dr. Ishrat ul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Finance Minister, Shaukat Tarin, Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, Federal Minister Dr. Farooq Sattar, Federal Minister Babar Ghouri, Provincial Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, Provincial I.T. Minister, Raza Haroon and City Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal who remain engaged from the first day of the incident, in the relief activities. Siraj Teli informed that Karachi Chamber also remain steadfast in the relief and rehabilitation activities from 28th December, 2009. After the constitution of Karachi Affected Relief Committee, Chairman, Zubair Motiwala, President-KCCI, Abdul Majid Haji Muhammad with KCCI’s Office Bearers and Managing Committee Members remain determined to help out and engaged in the relief and rehabilitation process till date and maintaining effective liaison with affectees and subsequently contacted the Government.

Siraj Teli appealed the President of Pakistan for directing Federal Board of Revenue for declaring immunity to the affected people with regards all kinds of taxes for at least one year, KESC & PTCL for not charging for 6 months, school and educational institution’s fee waiver for 4 months to children of affectees. Siraj Teli also appealed President of Pakistan to immediately establish a Disaster Management Cell with Sindh Government having representation of KCCI, while utilizing the leftover amount of relief fund. He said that since the total amount of claims would be approximately 1.6 billion and the Federal and Sindh Government has already set aside Rs.3.5 billion for the purpose, and he suggests and requests that the remaining amount should be kept aside for this Disaster Management Cell and be spent on improvement of fire and police departments and for the purpose of unforeseen. He also reminded all the concerned for their commitment of exposing the culprits whosoever they may be and that is the only way to stop the recurrence of such incidences.

Siraj Teli, presented a report on Bolton Market Incident to the President of Pakistan and Sindh Government whereby informing about the completion of relief work while utilizing all the available means and resources of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, its members and secretariat staff. Siraj Teli said that seven loss assessment committees comprising of the Businessmen Group’s members and KCCI’s Managing Committee members, with due diligence visited the affected markets, meticulously interviewed each and every affectee and comprehensively compiled the record while ensuring maximum transparency, performing 12 hours work daily. Siraj Teli said that over 2800 claims were filed, after examination of double and incorrect filed claimed, the scrutiny of 1600 claims completed. Initial amount of claims was Rs.3 billion, affectees after taking oath corrected their claims and the claim amount including the claim of goods, cash, and materials is around Rs.1.2 billion. For reconstruction of destroyed and dangerous declared buildings, Siraj Teli said that tenders have been invited and the approximate estimate of reconstruction is over Rs.0.5 billion. Scrutiny of claims over 1.5 million will be completed in 10 days followed by payments of claims, he added. Siraj Teli informed that the number of scrutinized claims is 1451 and the approximate claim amount is Rs.0.73 billion which is the 90 percent share of filed claims, remaining 10 percent claims number is 150 which amounts to 0.45 billion approximately. Siraj Teli highlighted that in all the relief work, efforts were made to ensure check and balance and transparency. President of Pakistan on the said occasion distributed the pay-orders amounting to Rs.12,635,000/-.