KARACHI: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) has opposed the proposed decision of the government to prepone trade bodies elections. This proposal means that elections could now be held in 2025 only a year after the last elections, which were conducted in September 2024. Per the FPCCI, newly elected representatives hold the mandate to stay in their office for two years -- in this case, from October 2024 to September 2026.
In a statement on Thursday, Atif Ikram Sheikh, president of the FPCCI, said that the FPCCI’s decision was taken after broad-based consultative process with chambers, associations and trade bodies across Pakistan.
Sheikh noted that if the decision is implemented and elections are held in 2025, the tenure of the trade bodies elected for two years will be unfairly reduced to one year. This, he said, would be against the will of the voters of the business, industry and trade community.
The FPCCI president maintained that the decision to call for fresh elections within such a short span undermines the stability and continuity required for effective governance and policy advocacy initiatives within trade organisations.
Sheikh continued that the recently held election were carried out as per the Trade Organisations Ordinance; the exercise was conducted transparently and in accordance with established legal procedures. Calling for another round of elections in 2025, he said, “disregards the mandate given by the business community and disrupts the functioning of trade bodies at a critical time when economic and policy continuity are immensely essential for the country”.