Karachi, 16 Oct 2023: Leadership from the United Business Group (UBG) has called on the Director General of Trade Organizations (DGTO) to take legal action against the current management of FPCCI, citing allegations of embezzlement, mismanagement, and potential bias in the recent Executive Committee Meeting. This urgent plea for transparency and accountability was made during a significant press conference held in Karachi, led by President UBG Mr. Zubair Tufail and other eminent members.

In the backdrop of the Executive Committee Meeting on October 13, 2023, concerns arose regarding the meeting's conduction via video conferencing across multiple cities. This virtual gathering allegedly included several non-Executive Committee participants as special invitees, seemingly violating the guidelines set by DGTO. Notably, attendees were given working papers mere days before the meeting, with one crucial agenda item, concerning the formation of an election commission, left without any accompanying document.

This gathering further stirred controversy as the FPCCI management took the unilateral decision to form the election commission through a direct election method, a move that departed from the usual practice of mutual consent. Furthermore, this election, held through a show of hands across different locations, appeared irregular when contrasted with the standard single-location, secret ballot practice.

The proposed members for the election commission by the existing FPCCI management have been criticized for potential bias in previous elections, with several of their decisions challenged in both the DGTO office and the High Courts. Some of these contested decisions are still awaiting a final ruling.

Given the raised concerns, the Executive Committee members are earnestly seeking DGTO's intervention, emphasizing the need for the upcoming FPCCI elections to be conducted under its direct oversight to maintain integrity.