i dont know much about ICMA but i can guide u regarding acca.
first off, let me tell u that acca is not 'focused' on one specific brand of business, icma is! (on cost management) ACCA's study financial accounting, business law, taxation, audit, performance management, financial management, corporate governence, business analysis and some other areas too. some of these subjects are taught twice as basic and advance level. so ACCA is very thorough, it gives u a very wide look into the business world and also opens up international markets for u. u can (theoratically) work as an accoutant, tax accountant, auditor etc etc if u have done acca. ICMA is focused on cost management accounting. its a gud certification but its scope is narrower. thats not a bad thing at all but why shud u limit urself just to one thing?
I wud say u shud do acca first, and then use acca as a stepping stone for icma or any other certification which is more focused on one department. this way u ll have better acceptability in market and more knowledge too.
one thing that u shud consider is that do u want to work only in pakistan or wud u consider a career abroad too? if u dont want to limit urself to pakistan then DONT do a pakistani certification. not that they are bad. they are just not easily accepted abroad (other then in middle east).
now, about articleship. first things first, there is no "articleship" in acca. Articles is an official term used by ICAP (CA) for their work experience in an Audit firm. For acca, the work experience is called PER (practical experience requirement).
now coming to the issue, since all the audit firms are under ICAP, ICAP ordered them to stop hiring ACCAs for their PER. officially, accas cannot get into audit firms in Pakistan now but im telling u from confirm sources that accas ARE being inducted into firms even at this time, although not in that quantity as before and not that openly too (often by reference only)
and secondly, apart from audit firms, ACCAs are NOT forbidden to work in the industry. they CAN work in banks and all type of companies. and usually, the pay package is roughly around 20,000 pkr (plus minus a few thousand) although exceptions are there. the people who say acca's are paid 6000-8000rs are talking about the people working in audit firms doing PER. and the CAs doing their articleships in firms also get the same amount so theres no difference.
I think i ve given u more info then u asked, if u need to know more, let me know.