EDITORIAL

Disarray at the trade bodies

Disquieting, in its own way, is the report regarding over a hundred members of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) resigning their memberships and demanding resignation of the chairman of the representative trade body of the national textile industry. It is, however, just another matter the leader of the dissenting group has described these collective resignations as conditional. For it has been further stated that in case of the incumbent Aptma chief not quitting, as demanded, they would take up the matter for legal proceedings. However, in the event of the demand being met, all those who have resigned in protest would take their resignation back. As for the extreme action taken by a large number of Aptma members, it is reported to have been attributed to a decision taken in a meeting of the dissident group in Lahore on Wednesday. According to a news report to this effect, the meeting was of the unanimous view that acceptance of its demand would benefit the institution for avoiding legal actions by members against each other. For, as it has been further explained, submission of collective resignation merely symbolised a protest against the manner it had been functioning, with particular reference to the recently held elections of the trade body.
Moreover, the leader of the Aptma's dissident group, is reported to have pointed to two options for the incumbent : There are two options if the dissident group decides to go for a legal proceeding - one is to forward the case to the tribunal of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FPCCI) to clear the matter or to contact the Director of Trade Organisation (DTO) to judge the evidences and clear the matter. Be all this as it may, the ugly turn in the situation has taken from a disputed election, it will, generally speaking, certainly point to an unfortunate disarray at the representative trade bodies. This has reference to the turmoil that was recently caused around election results and allegations regarding a number of them being bogus. It will be recalled, that consequent upon such reports, the DTO was reported to have embarked upon an effort that looked like aimed at purging trade bodies not found working strictly in accordance with the laws governing their existence and manner of function. However, not much is known about whatever happened to those initiatives. And, to say the least, even the suggestion of disarray at the local bodies end is indeed regrettable.
This should be all the more so, as earlier pointed out in these columns, at a time when global competition for excellence in business has gained added importance, thereby calling for ever-increasing preparedness to meet its challenges. For one thing, the representative trade organisations, at all levels, in a given country, need keeping their constituents abreast of their respective governments, of developing situations and shape of things to come. This has to be more so in Pakistan where the private enterprise being assigned increasingly important role building the future of its economy. Taking into view many a disquieting signals of numerous shortcomings in the performance of registered trade bodies and weaknesses in the laws and working of the regulatory government departments and agencies, now is certainly the time for both private enterprise and the government to join hands to so streamline the trade bodies as to enable them to meet the challenges of the fast changing situation both inside the country and in the wide world outside it.