The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) while expressing grave concern over the controversy arisen in respect of the Competition Commission of Pakistan's Ordinance, has said that it is a provincial subject and the Federal legislature should not transgress onto the Provincial domain.
The President LCCI, Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, Senior Vice President Ejaz A Mumtaz and Vice President Faisal Iqbal Sheikh, in a joint statement here on Friday, said the LCCI has studied the contents of the proposed bill and is greatly concerned as it appears that the subject of competition and framing of laws thereon, are a provincial subject, and care should be taken that the Federal legislature does not transgress onto the Provincial domain.
They said that it also appears that the proposed law provides only a direct appeal before the Supreme Court against its decisions, by passing the High Courts, which is clearly a violation of the Constitution which provides that appeals against orders of such Commissions must first be preferred before the High Courts, prior to moving the Supreme Court.
They further expressed concern at the 'verbal tirade', launched by the CCP functionaries against the business community, referring to them in non-parliamentary terms such as "Mafias". This does not create a business friendly environment, which the country can ill afford in these troubled times, they added.
The LCCI high-ups feared that with the ordinance in place, the CCP would become a tool of persecution and blackmail. They said that it is sincerely hoped that the members of Parliament, as well as, government will act in a constructive manner regarding the proposed legislation, which is wholly unfair in its present shape.
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