Competition Commission of Pakistan

Competition Commission of Pakistan
کمپیٹیشن کمیشن آف پاکستان
Agency overview
Formed	2007; 18 years ago
Preceding agency	Monopoly Control Authority (MCA);
Jurisdiction	Pakistan
Headquarters	Islamabad
Agency executive	Kabir Ahmed Sidhu , Chairman;
Key document	Competition Act, 2010.;
Website	cc.gov.pk

The Competition Commission of Pakistan^[2] (CCP), previously known as the Monopoly Control Authority, is an independent agency that functions as a quasi-regulatory and quasi-judicial body under the Government of Pakistan. Its primary role is to enforce economic competition laws in the country, fostering healthy competition. Established in 2007 by the President of Pakistan through the promulgation of the Competition Ordinance, 2007, it replaced the Monopoly Control Authority. Subsequently, the Parliament of Pakistan enacted the Competition Act, 2010, which provided legal authority and powers to the commission. The CCP aims to ensure free competition across all areas of commercial and economic activity, enhance economic efficiency, and protect consumers from anti-competitive practices.

Operations[edit | edit source]

The Competition Act, 2010, prohibits businesses from abusing a dominant market position, engaging in anti-competitive agreements, or employing deceptive marketing tactics that could mislead consumers or result in transactions based on false or misleading information. Additionally, the Act allows the CCP to review mergers between companies that may significantly hinder effective competition. Through advocacy efforts, the Commission promotes voluntary compliance and seeks to cultivate a ‘competition culture’ within the economy. Anti-competitive behavior can adversely affect competition levels in the market, ultimately impacting consumers negatively.

The Competition Commission of Pakistan under Competition Act, 2010 principally deals with

Abuse of Dominant Position (Section 3)
Prohibited Agreements (Section 4)
- Section 4 is divided into three sub-sections:
  - Section 4(1) states that a practice may be anticompetitive if it has the object or effect restricting competition
  - Section 4(2) provides a non-exhaustive list of the types of agreements that are prohibited under section 4(1)
  - Section 4(3) declares that any agreement contrary to section 4(1) shall be void.
Deceptive Marketing Practices (Section 10)
Approval of Mergers (Section 11)
Exceptions (Section 5 to 9)
- Section 5 of the Act allows parties to obtain exemptions for their agreements if they are able to establish their pro-competitive effects in terms of section 9.