Govt Ends Power Struggle At P@SHA, Sajjad Syed Restored As Chairman

Meanwhile, the leadership crisis at the Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES (P@SHA) has concluded after the Directorate General of Trade Organisations (DGTO) restored Sajjad Mustafa Syed as chairman.

Key points

• The regulator additionally cancelled the August 24 notification that had removed Syed and handed Acting Chairman powers to Senior Vice Chairman Muhammad Umair Nizam.
• P@SHA Senior VC Umair Nizam Takes Charge as Acting Chairman After No-Confidence Vote.
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• Syed has now been restored as P@SHA's lawful chairman for the remainder of his 2024-26 term.
• The DGTO consequently set aside both the CEC resolution and the notification issued by P@SHA's Secretary General on August 24.

In its order issued on August 28, the DGTO quashed the bizarre Vote of No Confidence passed against Syed at P@SHA's August 22 Central Executive Committee (CEC) session and declared the resolution "null and void ab initio", meaning invalid.

In practice, the regulator additionally cancelled the August 24 notification that had removed Syed and handed Acting Chairman powers to Senior Vice Chairman Muhammad Umair Nizam.

Meanwhile, the dispute centres on an eight-vote no-confidence motion passed during an earlier CEC session. The DGTO ruled that the vote failed to meet the legal threshold required to remove the chairman.

According to the order, P@SHA's CEC has 12 members, meaning three-fourths of the total strength requires at least nine affirmative votes. The August 22 motion received only eight votes.

For context, the regulator further ruled that one of the members' vote was legally void since he stood to benefit directly from Syed's removal by assuming the acting chairmanship. This reduced the valid affirmative votes to seven.

DGTO additionally identified a major procedural difficulty with the vote. The no-confidence motion was introduced as an unscheduled floor motion during a session that had been called to discuss an NCCIA-related matter.

While the specific no-confidence motion had not been included in the circulated agenda, the session itself had been convened on only two hours' emergency notice.

Meanwhile, the regulator remarked this breached requirements relating to special business, advance notice and due process.

For context, the DGTO consequently set aside both the CEC resolution and the notification issued by P@SHA's Secretary General on August 24.

For context, the coup leader has been directed to immediately stop exercising the powers of chairman and continue only in his elected position as Senior Vice Chairman.

Importantly, the regulator did not permanently prevent P@SHA's CEC from seeking Syed's removal.

Instead, it laid out a procedure for any fresh no-confidence attempt. The CEC must submit a formal written requisition, matter at least seven clear days' notice containing the specific agenda and proposed resolution, and secure at least nine votes out of the 12-member CEC.

In practice, the DGTO additionally directed P@SHA's leadership to comply with a previously ordered 30-day amicable dispute resolution process. P@SHA Chairman Faces Revolt Ahead of Elections.

Meanwhile, the regulator's latest decision means the August 24 leadership change has effectively been erased, putting Syed back in charge. P@SHA's internal leadership battle still remains unresolved.

Notably, the CEC can still pursue a fresh removal attempt, but it will now have to do so under the legal and procedural requirements set out by the DGTO. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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Taken together, the developments around govt Ends Power Struggle At P@SHA, Sajjad Syed Restored As Chairman point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.