Report: ANI
ISLAMABAD — The Directorate General of Trade Organizations (DGTO), Ministry of Commerce, has ordered major administrative measures against the Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders following an inquiry into alleged financial, membership and electoral irregularities.
According to the order, the removal of Chaudhry Azhar Iqbal, Tamoor Abbasi and Abdul Waheed Babi from the Executive Committee has been declared void and they have been ordered to be reinstated. The regulator’s decision to establish an election commission itself has also been cancelled.
The Executive Committee and President Muhammad Owais Satti’s financial and administrative powers have been suspended under Section 21(3), while the chamber’s bank accounts, records, database and building have been placed under interim custodianship of the DGTO. All elections and changes to the voter list have also been stopped.
The inquiry report, dated June 11, 2026, highlighted alleged irregularities in financial transactions, membership records and visa invitation letters. It noted that large payments were allegedly made without supporting vouchers, invoices or Executive Committee approvals, while transfers were also allegedly made from the chamber’s account to the president’s personal bank account.
The inquiry further found a major discrepancy between the chamber’s claimed membership of more than 2,000 and the number of members found to have deposited renewal fees through the bank. It also raised concerns over incomplete membership documents and allegedly irregular membership numbers.
According to the report, 10 Chinese companies registered with the chamber appeared to share the same individual, passport number and address, raising questions about their eligibility. The inquiry also identified 40,546 E-Business Invitation Letters (E-BILs) issued since 2022, with questions raised regarding the collection and banking of related fees.
The DGTO inquiry recommended a comprehensive forensic audit of the chamber’s finances, visa invitation letters and fund transfers, cleansing the voter list of bogus or unverified members, and appointment of an independent administrator in view of the alleged administrative, legal and financial irregularities
