Free, fair elections: FPCCI, other trade bodies urge DGTO to appoint administrator

KARACHI: The executive committee members of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and representatives of chambers of commerce and trade associations have demanded of the Director General Trade Organization (DGTO) the immediate appointment of an administrator at FPCCI for free and fair elections.

They also demanded the complete inquiry of financial irregularities in the FPCCI through NAB and FIA as they alleged that the sitting president of FPCCI Irfan Iqbal Shaikh has misused the funds of the Federation.

Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Friday, former President of FPCCI Engineer Daroo Khan Achakzai along with Ikram Rajput, Dr. Shahzad Arshad, Abid Chinoy, Abdul Sami Khan, Mumtaz Sheikh, Mian Arshad Farooq, Gulzar Firoz, Ghazanfar Ali Khan and others of Hyderabad Chamber said that in the current adverse economic conditions of the country, the business community is facing a number of challenges, while the president of the country’s largest trade body-FPCCI is busy in busy to fulfil its personal agenda instead of to address the problems of the business community.

Leaders of the business community, Zubair Tufail President United Business Group (UBG), Khalid Tawab General Secretary UBG Sindh, Ahmed Chinoy, Hanif Gohar and others were also present in the press conference.

“Irfan Iqbal Sheikh is releasing the Federation’s fund to his favorite people without the approval of the executive committee, while an amount of Rs 20 million were also given to the former Prime Minister Imran Khan from the FPCCI account,” they alleged.

The representatives of various chambers and associations of Pakistan and the members of the executive committee of FPCCI demanded that FPCCI president Irfan Iqbal Shaikh be immediately de-seated and an inquiry should be conducted to probe the financial irregularities in the FPCCI. “DGTO should also immediately appoint an administrator in FPCCI and ensure the conduct of fair and transparent elections,” they demanded.

Engineer Daroo Khan said that sitting President FPCCI federation has even not allotted a room to the vice president from Balochistan Haji Jamaluddin Achakzai.

FPCCI executive committee members and representatives of chambers of commerce and trade associations also demanded the immediate removal of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali from the post of Governor as he is not only facilitating the BMG group but also attending group meetings.

They also urged the Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir for strict action against smugglers and black-marketing mafia to bring the prices down.

They said that DGTO has already raised questions on the election of President FPCCI and sent seven questions to Irfan Iqbal to investigate the financial irregularities.

The president FPCCI in its reply has not given required answers of the questions raised by the DGTO.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023