PHC suspends Aptma executive committee

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday suspended the election and operation of the executive committee of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma).

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ikramullah and Justice Mussarat Hilali issued the stay order in two identical petitions. Ahmad Kuli Khan Khattak and Afan Aziz had filed the petitions against the highhandedness of the central office of the association against Aptma Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zone.

The lawyers Isaac Ali Qazi and Barrister Babar Shahzad Imran appeared for Ahmad Kuli Khan Khattak and Afan Aziz.

They informed the court about the highhandedness by the central Aptma against Aptma KP Zone and rejection of the nomination papers of the two candidates illegally and arbitrarily for the candidature of KP Executive Committee seats for the election 2018-19.

The bench took notice of the negation of rights to KP of their representative body. It suspended the election and operation of the executive committee of central Aptma, resulting in the suspension of the election of the chairman APTMA.

The bench also issued a notice to the respondents in the petitions, directing them to submit comments before the next hearing into the case.

It was argued that Aptma elected its office-bearers on the basis of the formula of 3.2.1 among the three zones on a rotation basis. However, it said that Punjab was using tactics and had deprived KP of its term to head the association.

According to the formula, the year 2017-18 was the term of KP zone, but due to the highhandedness of Punjab-dominated central executive committee, the election was delayed through different tactics and the term lapsed. On the announcement of the schedule for the Aptma election 2018-19, the Aptma KP Zone filed the nominations of Ahmad Kuli Khan and Afan Aziz. But despite the decision of Peshawar High Court, their nominations were rejected.

But the election committee, which was lacking the representation of KP zone once again, rejected their nominations on flimsy grounds and on appeals, the election commission member representing Sindh-Balochistan Zone accepted their request but the stubborn attitude of two other members from Punjab continued.