Although chlorine is an electron withdrawing group, yet it is ortho-, para- directing in electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions. Why?

Explanation

Chlorine withdraws electron through inductive effect and releases electrons through resonance. Through inductive effect, chlorine destablises the intermediate carbocation formed during the electrophilic substitution. The inductive effect is stronger than resonance effect in case of halogen which causes net electron withdrawal and thus causes net deactivation . The resonance effect tends at ortho - and para - position and hence makes the deactivation less controlled by stronger inductive effect and orientation is controlled by resonance effect.