Businessman Forum (BF) and Businessman Panel (BP) are heading for a showdown in the annual elections of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) scheduled for November 22. The elections are being held under Trade Organisations Rules (TOR-2007).
Both groups have fielded their candidates in the polls. Earlier Businessman Panel (BP) was headed by late Faiz Rasool Khan, a former vice president of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI). But, after the demise of Faiz Rasool Khan, Haji Ghulam Ali, City District Nazim Peshawar has been made chairman of the Businessman Panel NWFP chapter with Fazal Elahi Khan, vice president FPCCI and Adnan Jalil as president and general secretary respectively.
In initial stage, the Election Committee rejected the nominations of the BP-backed candidates suspecting the signatures of the candidates as dubious. However, the office of the Director General (DG) Trade Organisations (DGTO) came to the rescue of BP candidates.
Senator Bilour-led BF is ruling Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) for last eight years as the rival group has no representation on the executive committee of the body. BF won the last elections with narrow margin.
This year the elections are being held on the basis of Trade Organisations Rules 2007. The five candidates of the Forum have been elected unopposed to the executive committee of the body as no one from the rival group filed nominations against them. Those who returned unopposed included Sajida Zulfikar and Wasima Nazli of the women chamber, Ahmad Khan (Malakand), Mohammad Sajjad (Bunnu) and Haji Manzoor Ahmad Paracha from Kohat.
Polls will be held for 16 executive body members with 8 from corporate and 8 from associate groups respectively. Ten candidates from corporate group, who had withdrawn their nominations were Mohammad Nawaz Khan, Adnan Inayat, Shahid Munir, Abid Salam, Zahid Arif, Ghulam Dastagir, Dr Khushal Khan, Sufi Mohammad Hassan Naeem Durrani, Mohammad Owais Hussein and Aftab Iqbal.
Following the withdrawal of 10 candidates, the contest on 8 executive seats reserved for corporate sector would be held amongst Kamran Shafi, Mohammad Ishaq, Malik Iftikhar Ahmad Awan, Mohammad Omar, Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervez, Mohammad Luqman Shah, Riaz Arshad, Ahsan Rasheed Gurwara, Nisar Rasool, Shah Afzal Shinwari, Mohabbat Khan, Ishtiaq Ahmad and Qaiser Aziz.
The 13 candidates of the Associate Group vying for 8 slots included Mohammad Waris, Shaukat Ali, Mohammad Arshad Siddiqui, Mohammad Nadeem, Hidatyaullah advocate, Faiz Mohammad, Dr Khushal Khan Mohmand, Sharafat Ali Mubarak, Mohammad Atif, Iftikhar Ahmad, Abdul Hakim, Nadeem Ahmad Siddiqui and Chaudhry Shahid Ghafoor. Twelve candidates stand withdrawn.
The president of SCCI, Haji Mohammad Asaf, accompanied by senior vice president Haji Inayat Khan, vice president Mohammad Nawaz Khan and candidates of his panel on Tuesday visited Jinnah Street, Shafi Market, Mall Road and University Road to garner support.
Speaking on the occasion, BF leader Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour said that the services should not be limited to merely press statements and election slogans. The winners should take business community along and give them honour and respect.
He said that Businessman Panel has no agenda for the resolution of the problems of the business community. Senior leaders of Businessman Forum included Ghulam Sarwar Khan Mohmand, Mohsin Aziz, Colonel Syed Khizer Hayat (Retd), president SCCI, Haji Mohammad Asaf and president Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP) Nauman Wazir accompanying Bilour in the election campaign. A BP-backed candidate, Qaiser Aziz Khan has reportedly announced joining BF after expressing confidence in the leadership of Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour. Businessman Panel has also launched election campaign and contacts with members. Besides making contacts with members, the group is also seeking 10 to 15 days' extension in the election date. BP-backed candidates said that due to time constraint, they are facing problems in reaching out to voters.
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