KARACHI: United Business Group (UBG) leaders on Friday said that the Secretary General Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) is making the elections controversial with his illegal decisions.
Addressing an urgent press conference on Thursday night at Karachi Press Club, Zubair Tufail President UBG, Khalid Tawab, Hanif Gohar, Ahmed Chinoy and other said that despite the clear-cut directions of Sindh High Court and Directorate General of Trade Organization (DGTO) the Secretary General FPCCI is not giving the voting right to the 19 trade bodies.
They said that a two-member bench of the Sindh High Court has suspended the decision of the single bench and asked all the concerned parties to continue with the process of election in accordance with the law and particularly in light of the spirit of the election and the right to vote in a democracy.
They said that the double bench of the Sindh High Court suspended the decision of the single bench on Dec 22 and even after six days, the Secretary General FPCCI has not implemented the initial decision of the court.
The Election Commission and DGTO has instructed the Secretary General FPCCI to implement the court decision, but he is not allowing voting rights to 19 trade bodies.
“As UBG is in a winning position, the opponent group Businessman Panel (BMP) is using unlawful tactics to defeat us in the election. However, we will fight for our right and file a contempt of court on Friday as Secretary General FPCCI is not accepting the court decision”, they added.
UBG leaders also expressed a fear of rioting and requested for strict security measures to ensure election in a peaceful manner. “In the past the ruling group also called people from other provinces and tried to cause riots in the FPCCI elections, therefore, we have also written a letter to the Rangers and Police for security in the elections”, they added.
Despite the fear of riots and biased decisions by the Secretary General FPCCI, the UBG group will participate in the election, they said. “We are in a winning position, that’s why the BMP is using such tactics and the Secretary General of FPCCI has become a party”, they added.
Secretary General UBG (Sindh) Hanif Gohar said that Secretary General FPCI is not accepting the court decision while the election is to be held on Saturday.
He also said that on December 13, the final list was sent to the Secretary General FPCCI, on December 19, when the final list came, the Secretary General raised objections on 19 associations and removed them from the voting list. These 19 trade bodies had already completed all the processes.
“We have knocked on all the doors for justice but the matter has still not resolved”, he added.
UBG leaders have urged the DGTO to appoint an administrator for the free and fair FPCCI election to be held on Dec 30, 2023.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023