Pakistan’s top businessman and former chairman of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Siraj Kassam Teli has passed away in Dubai due to cardiac arrest, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.

He left behind his wife, a son and a daughter to mourn his death. He was hospitalized in Dubai for the last few days and died of cardiac arrest during his stay at the hospital. He was on ventilator for two days.

Business community tycoons Aqeel Karim Dhedhi and Zafar Motiwala expressed their condolences over the sad demise of Siraj Kassam Teli and termed it a huge loss to the business fraternity of Pakistan. 

Siraj Teli was a Tamgha-i-Imtiaz recipient and he had also served as Director of Pakistan Beverage Limited.

Siraj Kassam Teli was a distinguished industrialist possessing eminent qualities of leadership who belonged to a renowned family that has been active in business since the inception of Pakistan.

As Chairman of the Businessmen Group (BMG), Siraj Teli is recognized for his extraordinary leadership of the Business and Industrial community over 19 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 took due cognizance of the sad incident of fire and arson at the Bolton Market on the day of Ashura on Dec 28, 2009, which resulted in tremendous loss of property, goods and businesses which seriously jolted businessmen and entrepreneurs all over Pakistan.

He gave an urgent call for immediate assessment of losses sustained so that each and every affected businessman was justly compensated. The KCCI set up a committee and the then President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari announced a relief package of Rs3 billion.

Apart from the beverage sector, he had considerable experience in textiles, dairy products and energy and he is also a Director of Gul Ahmed Energy Limited, Metro Power Company, Yassir Fruit Juice, Haji Kassam Haji Mohammad & Co and Pakola Products (Pvt) Limited.

He served on the boards of many government and semi-government organizations as a representative of the business community including SITE Limited, Land Utilization, Port Qasim Authority, Civil Aviation Authority Sindh Workers Welfare Board, Workers Welfare Fund, KESC and many educational institutions.

Owing to Siraj Teli’s outstanding contribution to the national economy and public service, philanthropic work, and extraordinary indulgence in Ashura incident His Excellency the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari had confered award “Sitara-e-Imtiaz” award on him.

Siraj Teli graduated from the Government College of Commerce & Economics, Karachi, in 1974. He spent the first eleven years of his career at Gul Ahmed Textile Mills Limited and Nakshbandi Industries, both family concerns in the textile sector.

In 1985, he joined Pakistan Beverages Ltd. – another family business. The company enjoys the enviable record of introducing the first Pakistani local beverage ‘PAKOLA’, in as early as 1951.