LAHORE: The court has granted approval for the hearing of contempt of court petitions lodged against the Director General of Trade Organizations (DGTO) and various chambers that have issued election schedules.
The contempt of court petition has been filed jointly by a former and a current executive committee member representing a group opposed to the present office-bearers of Rahimyar Khan Chamber of Commerce. In their petition, they have leveled accusations against all chambers across the country, including those responsible for issuing the election schedule. The DGTO has also been named as a respondent in this matter.
The petitioners argued that the Director General of Trade Organizations should be held in contempt of court. They point out that when the chambers formulated and submitted the schedule, the DGTO failed to respond. It is their contention that the DGTO ought to have stated that these schedules are not only unlawful but also constitute contempt of court, given that a court injunction had been issued on the matter. The petitioners assert that by not taking such action, the Director General of Trade Organizations indirectly encouraged the chambers’ actions, thereby making himself liable for contempt of court.
The court, upholding the petitioners’ stance, has decided to proceed with the case, indicating that similar allegations have been registered against all the chambers involved. Consequently, the court has directed the DGTO and other relevant parties to submit their responses.
It is important to note that contempt of court carries potential penalties of imprisonment for a maximum of 6 months, fines, and possible disqualification for up to five years under the Trade Organization Act of 2013.
Furthermore, it has come to light that the election schedule letter issued by the DGTO office on July 7 was found to be in conflict with the Trade Organization (Amendment) Act of 2022. Subsequently, certain chambers sought legal recourse, resulting in a court order issued on July 13 that invalidated the aforementioned letter.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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