BRIEF HISTORY OF
BAHAWALPUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
The Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce & Industry was established in October 1986 with the permission of Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan. This Chamber is a major link between the Government and the industrial and business sectors of this area. Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce is trying its best for the Industrial and trade develop
ment of Bahawalpur and promoting exports. The jurisdiction of Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce & Industry is Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar Districts of Bahawalpur Division. There are total 929 members consisting of Corporate and Associate classes. All members of the Chamber are known as General Body and after every year the General Body elects the Executive Committee Members from itself. The annual elections of the Chamber are held before the 30th September. At present the Executive Committee consists of 26 members, 12 from Corporate Class and 12 from Associate Class. Besides that 2 seats are also reserved for Women entrepreneurs/members. Immediate Past President is considered as a member of the executive committee without voting right. The Executive Committee elects a President and a Vice President among itself representing Corporate and Associate Classes. The Executive Committee conducts and manages all the business affairs of the Chamber. The tenure of every executive member is for 2 years while the term of the president and Vice President is one year. Every Chamber appoints a Secretary General as an In-charge of the Chamber’s Secretariat and official correspondence / affairs etc. The Bahawalpur Chamber has constituted fourteen Standing Committees regarding different affairs to collect suggestions / proposals from its members and make necessary recommendations about the suggestions . The Office of the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce is located at Karachi By Pass (National Highway), Bahawalpur, consisting of four Kanals land purchased by the members while the Punjab Government had released a grant for its building. The list of the Past Presidents of Bahawalpur Chamber ( BCCI) is as under:-
1 Khawaja Muhammad Masood (Founder President) 1987-90
2 Chaudhry Abdul Majeed (Founder President) 1990-91
3 Khawaja Muhammad Iqbal 1991-92
4 Chaudhry Abdul Majeed 1992-93
5 Mian Muhammad Anwaar 1993-94
6 Mr. Masood A. Majeed 1994-95
7 Khawaja Muhammad Ilyas 1995-2000
8 Mr. Saud Majeed 2000-01
9 Chaudhry Tahir Jameel 2001-02
10 Chaudhry Safdar Hussain 2002-03
11 Sheikh Muhammad Abbas Raza 2003-04
12 Mr. Abdul Sattar Chaudhry 2004-05
13 Mr. Mehboob Nasir Chowdhry 2005-06
14 Chaudhry Abdul Jabbar 2006-07
15 Dr. Rana Muhammad Tariq 2007-08
16 Chaudhry Memood Majeed 2008-09
17 Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal 2009-10
18 Chaudhry Muhammad Ali 2010-11
19 Sahibzada Muzammil-ur-Rasheed Abbasi 2011-12
20 Chaudhry Atif Aziz 2012-13
21 Amir Yousuf Ali Khan 2013-14
22 Seth Muhammad Arshad 2014-15
23 Mr. Zafar Sharif 2015-16
24 Mr. Saleem Iqbal 2016-17
25 Malik Muhammad Aijaz Nazam 2017-18
26 Mr. Mubashar Hussain 2018-19
27 Mr. Javaid Iqbal Chaudhry 2019-20
28 Mr. Tanveer Mahmood 2020-21
29 Hafiz Muhammad Younas 2021-22
30 Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Maan 2022-24
The names of the existing Office Bearers of this Chamber for the year 2024-26 are as under:-
1. Syed Zafar Sharif (PRESIDENT)
2. Sajjad Ahmad Alvi (SR. VICE PRESIDENT)
2. Muhammad Azam Qureshi (VICE PRESIDENT)
CURRENT ISSUES / OBJECTIVES OF BCCI:-
1- To establish an Industrial Estate at Bahawalpur. On the demand of BCCI, the Punjab Government has already identified 375 Acres State land at Mouza Aghapur near Bahawalpur for this project. Still this case is pending in Board of Revenue, Govt. of the Punjab
2- To establish Art & Culture Centre at the Old Office of Art Council located at Gulzare Sadiq, Bahawalpur. The Bahawalpur Chamber demands to establish this center at the old office of Bahawalpur Art Council to promote the local art & culture.
3- To establish the offices of TDAP, SMEDA & SECP at Bahawalpur.
• Office of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan, to promote & facilitate the import & export business in this area. (The Prime Minister has accepted this demand in his recent visit to Bahawalpur).
• Office of Small & Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), Ministry of Industries & Production, Govt. of Pakistan to create and promote SMEs activities.(The Prime Minister has also approved this demand).
• Office of the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to facilitate the business community, banks and financial institutions in Bahawalpur Division (The P.M has ordered to establish a Help Desk of SECP at BCCI).
4- To establish BEPCO:-
A separate Electric Power Company (BEPCO) is required for Bahawalpur Division (Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar & Rahimyar Khan Districts) for constant and un-interrupted supply of the electricity.
5- To setup Solar Energy Plant for Bahawalpur City:-
This is the most feasible project which shall help to overcome to the energy crisis.
6- To install an Independent Industrial Feeder at Small Industries Estate, Bahawalpur. In order to ensure un-interrupted power supply to the industrial units.
7- To establish Construction Machinery Training Centre proposed for Bahawalpur. A project of Ministry of Communications, Govt. of Pakistan. costing Rs. 478,695/-Millions is pending in files.
8- To declare Bahawalpur including Cholistan Area as Livestock Export Zone:
To declare Bahawalpur including Cholistan Area as Livestock Export Zone due to the abundance of livestock in this area which can fulfill the domestic as well as the export needs of meat and milk.
9- Installation of Water Filtration Plants in Bahawalpur Area. According to a recent report of Pakistan Council for Research & Water Resources, 93% water of Bahawalpur area is declared injurious for health. Therefore, installation of at least 200 Water Filtration Plants for Bahawalpur District (Bahawalpur Saddar & City, Ahmedpur East, Yazman, Khairpur Tamewali and Hasilpur Tehsils) is necessary because of the subsoil water is arsenic and injurious for health.
10- Sufficient Supply of Irrigation Water for Bahawalpur Region:-
Bahawalpur is an agro-based area. Bahawalpur Division is producing 34% of cotton and about 20% of wheat of the entire county. It is located at the tail of the canals and is facing an acute shortage of water for its crops. Dried Satluj River and shortage of irrigation water, agriculture and agro based industry is suffering badly. Therefore, sufficient irrigation water is required in the canals passing through the areas of Bahawalpur. Moreover, sufficient flow of water is required in the bed of River Satluj because the subsoil water level in Bahawalpur has gone extremely low. Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Bahawalpur
