HYDERABAD: The new Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) has lost its licence amid a dispute over its control between now defunct governing body led by Adeel Siddiqui and leadership of the old HCCI headed by Seth Goharullah.

The Director General of Trade Organisations (DGTO) on June 12 withdrew the licence, which was issued to the new HCCI in April 2022.

The action was taken in line with Islamabad High Court’s order dated May 22 on a petition filed by the old HCCI. However, the DGTO has also issued notices to the two sides to give them a hearing on June 27 in Islamabad.

The notices have been issued to Adeel Siddiqui (who served as president of the new HCCI until withdrawal of its licence) and Ziauddin Qureshi (former secretary general of the old HCCI).

DGTO to hear both sides on 27th for a final decision

Mr Siddiqui is leading the group that got the new HCCI registered under fresh licence on April 20, 2022 and eventually got possession of the HCCI secretariat deposing the old HCCI leaders led by Seth Goharullah.

The old chamber’s licence was cancelled vide an order dated Jan 27, 2020. The rivals did not give up as they kept fighting a legal battle for the chamber’s control.

IHC order on appeal

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on May 22 this year decided an appeal against cancellation of old HCCI’s licence. It declared that issuance of new licence dated April 20, 2022 was “in violation of requirements of Section 9(1) of the TO Act, 2013”.

The court, however, remanded the matter back to the DGTO “who shall be at liberty to amend show cause notice [issued to old HCCI] on Jan 10, 2020 and thereafter decide whether or not to cancel old HCCI’s licence after affording it as well as respondent-5 [Adeel Siddiqui] an opportunity of a hearing as required by Section 7(2) of TO Act, 2013”.

Now the DGTO has cancelled the licence issued to Adeel Siddiqui.

“I have already filed appeal in Supreme Court against the May 22 order,” he said.

Ziauddin Qureshi, however, claimed that he had not received any letter about the June 27 hearing.

Face off

On June 26, former HCCI president Seth Goharullah’s group came to the HCCI secretariat to take its control by dislodging the Adeel Siddiqui group on the basis of IHC’s May 22 order. Police personnel remained deployed outside while the SHO concerned along with his two subordinates engaged the two sides in negotiations inside.

Deputy Commissioner Zain Memon also joined in the talks at a later stage.

The day-long saga, during which scuffles also took place amid a high degree of tension outside, finally ended up in the late night closure of the secretariat by local administration and police.

Status quo

The next day, the administration through police handed over the secretariat to the Siddiqui-led group considering incumbency factor and in view of the matter having been remanded back to the DGTO.

Seth Goharullah’s associates including Ziauddin Qureshi, Mohammad Shahid and Mahmood Rajput strongly opposed the administration’s decision.

HCCI was granted licence on March 16,1959 by the Federal Ministry of Commerce with directives that it be registered as a company with limited liability.

On July 14,1960, the HCCI was incorporated as a company under provisions of erstwhile Companies Act of 1913.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2024