Islamabad: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) recently organized a media workshop to mark World Competition Day, an annual observance on December 5. The event aimed to highlight the progress and ongoing challenges in ensuring market integrity and promoting competition across various sectors. During the workshop, senior journalists from both print and electronic media engaged with CCP officials to discuss the significance of fostering competition and maintaining a level playing field in the economy.

According to Competition Commission of Pakistan, Dr. Kabir Sidhu, Chairman of CCP, emphasized the critical role of competition in driving equitable wealth distribution and curbing market abuse. He pointed out that cartels can manipulate markets, concentrating wealth among a few, thus undermining economic equity. Dr. Sidhu underscored the CCP’s role in guiding government policies to enhance domestic and international business competitiveness, citing exports, taxes, and remittances as primary revenue sources.

Dr. Sidhu referenced international examples from the UK and the US, noting that Pakistan is in a developmental phase regarding competition policy implementation. He highlighted the necessity for collective efforts from the media, government, and public to fulfill the CCP’s mandate against anti-competitive practices. The workshop also featured a detailed briefing on current inquiries, sample case studies from the sugar, automobile, and cement sectors, and updates on Foreign Direct Investment facilitated through merger clearances.

CCP officials addressed journalists’ inquiries about enforcement challenges, particularly concerning the backlog of competition law cases in higher courts. The workshop was attended by senior CCP officials, including Mr. Shahzad Hissain, Mr. Noman Laiq, Mr. Ahmed Qadir, Dr. Ikram ul Haq, Ms. Ambreen Abassi, and Hafiz Naeem, who provided comprehensive responses to the media’s questions.