20000321

FPCCI seeking legal

opinion on Aptma's

dissociation

FPCCI consults

lawyers for

cancellation of

Aptma's licence

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry has sought legal opinion from its lawyers on whether the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association's (APTMA) licence could be cancelled by invoking relevant sections of Trade Organizations Ordinance of 1961.

This was necessitated following the receipt of Aptma central managing committee's resolution "to immediately disassociate itself from the membership of FPCCI." The Aptma meeting which was held on March 14, 2000, had further directed its representatives to resign from the managing committee and general body of FPCCI.

Sheikh Jameel Mehboob Magoon, acting President, FPCCI, has accepted the resignation of Waqar Mannoo from the central managing committee of FPCCI as Aptma's nominee.

Sub-section (2) of section 3 of the ordinance says: "No licence shall be granted for registration under the Act to a trade organisation unless it is "a Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, organized on all-Pakistan basis, to represent Chambers and associations referred to in clauses (b) and (c).

FPCCI's lawyers are studying the sections and clauses to determine whether Aptma could operate independently as a trade body without losing its licence following its disassociation from FPCCI.

Aptma, by deferring a proposed amendment to its articles of association enabling its Punjab zone to hold the top office of chairman of its central managing committee for three terms, Sindh for two terms and NWFP for one term every six years at its meeting held last week in Lahore avoided action by the Director Trade Organizations.

Some trade leader said that the entire exercise was to ensure that the candidate from NWFP did not take up the chairmanship of Aptma, on rotation basis.

Under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 8, it has been clearly mentioned that a registered trade organization shall not rescind, amend or otherwise modify its articles or memorandum without the prior approval of the appropriate government.

The Director Trade Organizations and Commerce Minister are being kept fully abreast of the developments in APTMA and there is a possibility of some action at their level to end the crisis.