PESHAWAR: Businessman Forum emerged victorious in the elections of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s executive committee for the next term of 2024-26.

The members of the executive committee will elect SCCI president and senior vice president on Sept 29.

Three panels of business community including Businessman Forum led by Ilyas Bilour, Sarhad Business Alliance led by Ghulam Ali and Pakistan Business Community led by Haji Sharafat Ali Mubarak contested the elections for 20 seats including 10 corporate and 10 associate group seats.

A total of 2,026 votes were polled including 381 in corporate and 1,645 in associate group. The polling started at 8am and ended at 5pm without any interval.

The members of SCCI took active part in the entire process of election. Members of all groups had set up camps and help desks for guidance of voters on premises of the chamber.

Foolproof security arrangements were made on the occasion. Heavy contingent of police was deployed inside and outside polling stations to avert any untoward incident. Directorate General of Trade (DGTO) had appointed an officer Waqas Elahi as observer to conduct transparent and fair elections.

The candidates of Businessman Forum won the elections with a big margin. Abbas Fuad Azeem got 258 votes, Adnan Nasir 238, Aftab Iqbal 249, Fazal Moqeem Khan 242, Hassan Zahideen 242, Ashfaq Ahmed 231, Junaid Altaf 256, Sabir Ahmad Bangash 224, Sajjad Zaheer 230 and Ziaul Haq Sarhadi polled 227 votes.

In associate group, Abdul Jalil Jan secured 1,013 votes, Abdul Nasir 990, Gul Zaman 993, Mohammad Nadeem 995, Mujeebur Rehman 1,007, Saddam Hussain 985, Saifullah Khan 986, Shamsul Rahim 974, Sheryar Khan 998 and Sultan Mohammad got 916 votes.

Results were announced by senior member of SCCI election commission Malik Niaz Ahmad.

The members and supporters of Businessman Forum celebrated their victory with fireworks and crackers.

Businessman Forum leaders Ghazanfar Bilour, Haji Mohammad Afzal, Shaukat Ali Khan and others thanked SCCI members for their support. They said that the landslide victory was a testimony of selfless services of the forum.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2024