The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has filed
a criminal complaint in the court of an additional sessions judge, Lahore,
against Farooq Younas Khan, director/chief executive, Muhammad Junaid Ahmed,
director, and Muhammad Zulsham Younas Khan Sherwani, former director, of the YS
Securities and Services (Private) Limited, a former member of the Lahore Stock
Exchange.
The complaint has been filed under Section 28 of the 1997
Central Depositories Act and Section 32(5) of the 1997 Securities and Exchange
Commission of Pakistan Act, 1997. After examining documentary evidence and
recording of the witness statement, the court has summoned the accused for
February 22, 2014.
The SECP received numerous complaints against the YS
regarding non-payment of funds, non-transfer of shares and closure of its
offices without any notice to the LSE. Taking cognizance of the matter, the
SECP directed the LSE to take appropriate action against the accused. The
governing board of directors of the LSE suspended trading rights of the YS on
April 9, 2012, with immediate effect. Subsequently, the board terminated its
membership with effect from April 23, 2012.
In exercise of the powers under Section 21 of the Securities
and Exchange Ordinance, 1969, read with Section 29 of the SECP Act, the SECP
ordered an enquiry against the YS on May 11, 2012, and assigned officers to
look into the matter. Moreover, SECP forwarded the names of the accused to the
relevant authorities to be placed on exist control list.
The enquiry report established the fact that the accused did
not conduct trading in the clients’ accounts despite receipt of the payments
from them. The accused provided false statements to its clients and dishonestly
showed their respective shares as “available”, however as per the CDC’s record,
the said shares were not available in investors’ accounts.
The accused also moved shares from clients’ CDC-sub-accounts
to benami accounts without their authorization, and subsequently
misappropriated them in violation of Section 24 of the 1997 CD Act.
Furthermore, the accused failed to provide the record and appear before the
enquiry team, despite repeated notices issued by the enquiry team under Section
21 of the ordinance and under Section 32 of the SECP Act. As per the enquiry
report, 984 complaints/claims of Rs342, 706,769 were filed against the YS with
the LSE and the SECP.
Apart from the above, the SECP has also forwarded case to
the NAB for action against the accused, and is also providing full assistance
to the NAB in this regard.
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