Top FPCCI body backs its president

KARACHI: A war has broken out between the apex bodies of trade and industry of the country and the caretaker commerce minister. The FPCCI’s executive committee has expressed confidence in its president Irfan Iqbal Sheikh and demanded the removal of the director general trade organizsation (DGTO) of the ministry of trade.

The group in power has alleged that the DGTO has become active suddenly on the instruction of the commerce minister, the opposition had denied the minister’s involvement in the FPCCI.

Since the inclusion of the commerce minister in the caretaker federal cabinet, the political conflict in FPCCI had increased, and it is feared that this week the elected body will be removed by the DGTO and replaced with an administrator.

In a notice sent by the DGTO to the FPCCI secretary on August 29, the DGTO wrote that large-scale irregularities have been found in the FPCCI. After these allegations, the DGTO has also sought details of expenses, details of donations, MoUs with the recruited employees. The DGTO has written in his letter that the election of the FPCCI president was also controversial, so his actions are also illegal.

Later on Tuesday, a statement issued by FPCCI Secretary General Brigadier (retd) Iftikhar Uppal, SI(M), said that the Executive Committee of the FPCCI has strongly condemned the malicious and propaganda campaign against the FPCCI president. The FPCCI president represents the collective leadership of all 250 chambers, associations and trade bodies in Pakistan on international level.

Irfan Iqbal Sheikh is the legitimate, legal and formally elected president of the FPCCI as a result of a transparent, free and fair election. In the emergency meeting of the Executive Committee of the FPCCI, FPCCI expressed full confidence in the leadership of Irfan Iqbal Sheikh. In the unanimous resolution adopted in the meeting, it was said that we, all the Executive Committee members of FPCCI, unanimously announce full support for Irfan Iqbal Sheikh. They said that in his current era, he has been giving outstanding service and playing a role for the business community of Pakistan. The members also endorsed the actions, decisions and activities taken by the president of the FPCCI and other office-bearers with the approval of the Executive Committee. They also extended their full confidence and support to the president to continue his work until December 2024.

Further explaining the resolution, the members of the Executive Committee made the following submissions: (i) All important decisions relating to the FPCCI have always been taken with the consent of the Executive Committee during the entire ongoing period without exception. In addition, the Executive Committee in its very first meeting formally gave permission to Irfan Iqbal Sheikh to take decisions of routine. (ii) the Executive Committee strongly condemned the malicious and propaganda campaign against the FPCCI president, who represents the collective leadership of all 250 chambers, associations and trade bodies of Pakistan at the domestic and international levels. (iii) Irfan Iqbal Sheikh is the legitimate, legal and formally elected president of the FPCCI as a result of a transparent, free and fair election. (iv) The Executive Committee expresses full confidence in the competent, honest and committed leadership of Irfan Iqbal Sheikh as its elected president. (v) The Director General Trade Organization should be removed from this important post with immediate effect, which is the most important position in the administration of trade bodies across Pakistan. Former President FPCCI Mian Anjum Nisar expressed deep shock and sorrow over the unethical, baseless and humiliating campaign against the dignity and honour of apex body, which is an institution of national and international importance. “This has never happened before and it should not happen again,” he added. It should be noted that two days ago, UBG President Zubair Tufail, Khalid Tauab and others addressed a press conference in Karachi and demanded the arrest of the FPCCI president and other officials.

Khurram Ejaz, a member of the FPCCI’s executive committee, when contacted, said that the caretaker commerce minister belongsnawaz to the BMG group of the opposition in the FPCCI, so he has started politics immediately after coming. In the interest of the country, the focus should be on improving the country’s business environment and increasing exports. On the other hand, BMG leaders say that the FPCCI brought politics to the ruling group, they used important officials of the previous government for their work, we have brought their irregularities to light, and our activities have nothing to do with the caretaker commerce minister. “He is the leader of our group but he is not interfering in the FPCCI affairs.”