DGTO Suspends RWCCI, Appoints Administrator for Six Months

The Directorate General of Trade Organisations (DGTO) has formally placed the Rawalpindi Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RWCCI) under a six-month suspension and appointed Muhammad Arif Ullah, Director at the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), to act as Administrator.

The action has been taken through Notification No. 6(15)/2025-TO dated 6 February 2026. As a consequence, the existing Executive Committee stands dissolved and all elected office-bearers have ceased to hold office in terms of Section 16(3) of the Trade Organisations Act, 2013.

In accordance with Section 17 of the Act, the appointed Administrator shall assume full operational control of the Chamber under regulatory oversight. His mandate includes taking custody of all statutory records, financial statements, digital databases, official seals, and other documentation, along with control over both movable and immovable assets of the Chamber.

The Administrator has further been directed to ensure that the Chamber operates from compliant premises consistent with the Trade Organisations Rules, 2013, providing appropriate infrastructure for record maintenance and governance meetings. Operational control of all bank accounts will be transferred to him. Additionally, a comprehensive financial audit covering the period 2021–2025 will be conducted in light of observations raised in the inquiry report dated 22 August 2025.

The order mandates immediate discontinuation of the existing manual fee collection mechanism and implementation of a transparent, bank-integrated transaction system. The Administrator must also regularise all outstanding corporate filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and ensure complete compliance with the Trade Organisations Act, 2013 and applicable rules.

A central component of the Administrator’s mandate is to conduct fresh elections for the Executive Committee and office-bearers in strict adherence to Rules 14 to 19 of the Trade Organisations Rules, 2013. This includes enforcement of mandatory 50% corporate representation and observance of the prescribed cooling-off requirements.

The Administrator is obligated to submit monthly progress reports to the DGTO and, upon completion of the six-month tenure, transfer charge to the duly elected Executive Committee. All expenditures incurred during the interim administration shall be met from the Chamber’s own revenues in accordance with Section 17(3) of the Act.