By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE – The Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has announced the termination of its electoral alliance with the Pioneer Businessmen Group (PBG), declaring that the two groups will no longer contest the upcoming Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) elections together.
The decision was made unanimously during a meeting of PIAF’s Executive Committee, attended by executive and core committee members. According to the organisation, participants agreed that PIAF would move forward independently in the forthcoming chamber elections.
The announcement marks a significant development in Lahore’s business politics, where alliances between major trader groups have traditionally played a decisive role in determining the outcome of LCCI elections.
Speaking at the meeting, PIAF Patron-in-Chief Mian Anjum Nisar said the organisation believed in collective leadership and consultation rather than a “one-man show.”
“PIAF is not a believer in a one-man show. Every decision is taken through consultation and with the broader interests of the business community in mind,” he said.
Nisar added that the organisation’s decision-making process had always focused on strengthening business institutions and safeguarding the interests of traders and industrialists.
Commenting on the split, he said the Pioneer Businessmen Group had “failed to integrate its own group,” while PIAF’s alliance with Founders had remained intact for more than two decades.
“The PIAF founders’ alliance has survived for over two decades because it is built on consensus, institutional continuity and teamwork,” he said.
The move is expected to reshape the political landscape ahead of the LCCI elections, with both groups now likely to field separate panels and candidates.
The dissolution of the alliance could intensify competition among the city’s leading business organisations as they seek support from Lahore’s traders, industrialists and chamber members.
Neither the Pioneer Businessmen Group nor its leadership immediately issued an official response to PIAF’s announcement.
Political observers believe the end of the alliance may significantly alter electoral dynamics, making the upcoming LCCI polls one of the most closely watched contests in recent years.
