The Director General of Trade Organisations (DGTO) has set a final deadline of January 12, 2026, for all trade bodies in Pakistan to submit mandatory documents for the renewal of their licences. This includes audited financial statements for the year 2025, a plan of activities for the coming year, and a membership roll to verify the organisation’s representative status.
The DGTO emphasised that under the Trade Organizations Act of 2013, trade bodies are required to submit these documents annually by December 31. The deadline has already passed, and a number of trade organisations have failed to comply, triggering legal actions under Section 14 of the Act.Â
Non-compliance could lead to penalties, licence cancellations, and the winding up of the organisation under Sections 7 and 8 of the Act.
The DGTO has warned that failure to meet the January 12 deadline will result in the issuance of formal show-cause notices, which could lead to the cancellation of licences and penalties of up to Rs100,000.Â
Additionally, individual office bearers of the defaulting organisations may face disbarment from holding any office in a trade organisation for three years.
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has been instructed to immediately circulate the notice to its members and submit a compliance report within 48 hours. The DGTO has made it clear that any further delays will result in swift enforcement actions.
