ISLAMABAD: Leaders of Businessmen Panel (BMP), the ruling group at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), have expressed their deep anguish at the secretary commerce for allegedly extending favour to the United Business Group (UBG) for securing a preferred decision from the office of the Director General of Trade Organizations (DGTO) in respect of presidential election.
According to a spokesperson of the BMP, the interest of the secretary commerce is yet to be ascertained for the reasons as how and why he is infringing upon the lawful course, which is expected of the office of the Ministry of Commerce, which administratively looks after the office of the DGTO but lawfully cannot influence the judicious decisions in terms of the circumstances of the whole issue before the DGTO.
According to BMP, the facts of the proceedings are simple and the brief includes a case before the DGTO in respect of presidential elections on vote count disputes.
The DGTO had issued the part order for counting the votes, which was not agreed by UBG presidential candidate, who lost the election but the general body approved the election of the present president of the FPCCI.
The UBG preferred appeal before the Appellant Forum against the decision of the DGTO.
The Appellant Forum consists of ministers and is constituted by the cabinet. That appeal is pending before the Appellant Forum in which the order of the DGTO for counting the votes has been challenged and prayed for stay.
There is no order by the Appellant Forum in this regard.
According to the Group, even if the Appellant Forum dismisses the appeal, then the order of the DGO restores to its field of vote counting, which even in the absence of stay against the order of DGTO by appellant holds the field of recounting.
On the other hand, the acceptance of the appeal would demand DGTO to proceed with the case in the manner the trial court would consider it on its merits and the law before giving any maintainable decision per law.
The BMP is of the view that under the circumstances the secretary commerce does not find any rescue gate to favour the lost election by UBG candidate Khalid Tawwab but to force the DGTO with the threat available on account of powers to write his ACR for the next due promotion to BPS-21 likely to take place soon.
The BMP is afraid that a wrong and questionable order which may not be tenable on legal grounds is being forced by the secretary commerce upon DGTO to give wrong orders to favour the lost candidate of UBG Khalid Tawwab.
The BMP spokesman has further said that the secretary commerce is using his official position and office by calling the DGTO and the opponent parties in the office, in which he declares himself to be the party of opponents of the BMP and it is also reported without doubt that circumstances in which the meeting has been held, UBG persons accompanied by Khalid Tawwab, even threatened the DGTO of dire consequences, if the preferred decision on the orders of the secretary commerce is not issued in favour of the UBG.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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