By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE: Haseeb Ullah Khan, Advocate High Court and Convener of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Standing Committee on Corporate and Legal Affairs, has called for stronger preventive legal practices and alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms to protect businesses from costly and prolonged litigation.
He was speaking at an awareness session on “How to Settle Corporate and Legal Litigation,” organised by the LCCI Standing Committee on Corporate and Legal Affairs.
LCCI Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh presided over the session, while Mian Nasim Saqlain Kamyana, Deputy Attorney General for Pakistan, attended as chief guest. Imran Shahzad, Legal Adviser LESCO, participated as guest of honour.
The gathering brought together prominent lawyers, business representatives and corporate professionals to discuss practical ways of preventing commercial disputes and resolving litigation efficiently.
Haseeb Ullah Khan calls for preventive legal strategy and faster corporate dispute resolution
In his key address, Haseeb Ullah Khan said corporate entities needed to recognise that effective legal planning was an essential part of doing business rather than something to be considered only after a dispute had arisen.
He said prolonged litigation could result in substantial financial losses, uncertainty and disruption to normal business operations. Companies could significantly reduce these risks through proper legal compliance, timely professional advice, effective documentation and clearly defined dispute-resolution procedures.
Haseeb Ullah Khan particularly highlighted mediation, negotiation and arbitration as important alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms that could help businesses settle disagreements more efficiently.
He said alternative dispute resolution could, where appropriate, save time and resources while helping companies preserve commercial relationships that could otherwise be damaged by lengthy adversarial proceedings.
“Businesses should seek professional legal advice at an early stage rather than waiting for a dispute to develop into complex litigation,” he stressed.
He added that properly drafted contracts, clear terms and conditions, regulatory compliance and effective corporate governance could play a significant role in preventing disputes before they reached courts.
Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh highlights business concerns
Presiding over the session, LCCI Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh highlighted the importance of greater interaction between the business and legal communities.
The session underlined that prolonged commercial disputes could consume valuable financial and managerial resources that businesses would otherwise use for investment, expansion and employment generation.
Participants stressed that the business community needed greater awareness of legal requirements and effective mechanisms for resolving disputes without unnecessary delays.
The LCCI platform, they observed, could play an important role in bringing businesses, lawyers and policymakers together to discuss practical legal problems affecting commercial activity.
Deputy Attorney General joins legal discussion
Mian Nasim Saqlain Kamyana, Deputy Attorney General for Pakistan, participated as chief guest and contributed to discussions on corporate and legal litigation.
The presence of senior government and legal representatives provided participants with an opportunity to discuss the practical dimensions of commercial disputes and the importance of legal compliance.
Imran Shahzad, Legal Adviser LESCO, as guest of honour, also participated in the professional exchange on litigation, corporate legal practices and dispute settlement.
The speakers emphasised that legal awareness should form part of corporate decision-making, particularly as businesses face increasingly complex contractual and regulatory requirements.
Senior lawyers and business representatives attend
The session was attended by a number of prominent members of the legal and business communities, including Rana Waqar, Advocate High Court; Zaka Ur Rehman, Advocate High Court; Adeel Haider, Advocate High Court; Ambreen Malik, Advocate High Court; Khurram Shahzad, CEO of Khurram & Company; Omer Pervaiz Malik, Advocate High Court; Tajamul Haider, Advocate High Court; and Shahbaz Talal, Advocate High Court.
Participants exchanged practical experiences concerning corporate disputes, commercial litigation, legal compliance and alternative dispute resolution.
They appreciated the initiative of the LCCI Standing Committee on Corporate and Legal Affairs and particularly acknowledged Haseeb Ullah Khan’s efforts to organise awareness and capacity-building sessions for the legal and business communities.
The participants agreed that businesses could substantially reduce litigation risks by obtaining legal advice before entering major commercial arrangements and ensuring that contracts clearly define obligations, liabilities and procedures for resolving disagreements.
The seminar concluded with a commitment to strengthen cooperation between the legal and business communities and promote greater awareness of timely and cost-effective dispute-resolution mechanisms.
