The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has prohibited M/s Harvest Toprworth International from making dealings in any security with immediate effect.
According to an official handout issued here Tuesday, the SECPO has taken the decision "in its commitment to eliminate the unauthorized and illegal activities of so called forex companies for violations of law under Section 20 of the Securities and Exchange Ordinance 1969."
The company has further been called upon to show cause as to why criminal proceedings should not be initiated against its partners.
Furthermore, the SECP has appointed an audit firm namely M/s Fazal Mehmood and Company for the system audit of M/s Harvest Smartrend Securities (Pvt) Ltd, an associated company of Harvest Group which is a member of Lahore Stock Exchange (Guarantee) Ltd.
The auditors have been asked to submit their report within 30 days with respect to dealings of the M/s Harvest Smartrend Securities (Pvt.) Ltd in forex business and the scope and extent of their unauthorised activities. The terms of reference of the audit also include examination and review of inter group transactions/activities of M/s Harvest Smartrend Securities (Pvt.) Ltdviz-a-viz its dealings in foreign securities.
The Harvest Group apparently consists of M/s Harvest Smartrend Securities (Pvt.) Limited, M/s. Harvest Topworth International, M/s. P.T. Polindo Bauna, Topworth Equity (Pvt.) Ltdand M/s. Harvest International (Pvt.) Ltd. The SEC has also passed prohibitory orders and issued show cause notices against 15 other companies/entities for carrying out unauthorized brokerage business and involved in fraudulent activities in violation of Section 5-A and Section 17 of the Securities and Exchange Ordinance respectively. The names of these companies/entities are: M/s Pindex Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Offshare Global Management (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Fidelity Futures Management (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Rouf International Advisory Services (Pvt) Ltd, M/s United Brokerage Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Trade Station Securities (Pvt) Ltd, M/s World Business Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Exchangers Impex (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Tycoon International (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Still Rich Financial Services, M/s Leader Forex (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Electus International Advisory Services, M/s Nexus Capital Management, M/s Forex Services International, M/s Uniworth (Pvt) Ltd.