ISLAMABAD
\nTo ensure fair business practices in markets, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) undertook robust enforcement measures in FY 2024\u201325, targeting cartelization, abuse of dominant position, and deceptive marketing practices.
\nThe Commission initiated 24 new inquiries\u201411 related to cartelization and 13 concerning deceptive marketing practices. It successfully concluded 14 investigations, which were forwarded for the adjudication process. The sectors under scrutiny included e-commerce, telecommunications, aviation, steel, transport, edible ghee and cooking oil, pharmaceuticals, construction, commodities, and education.
\nThe Cartel and Trade Abuse Department of the CCP, in its efforts to curb cartelization and market manipulation, initiated 11 new inquiries across various sectors, including e-commerce, telecommunications, aviation, steel, transport, edible ghee, cooking oil, and gas. In addition, 10 ongoing inquiries from previous periods were also under investigation. The department successfully concluded 9 inquiries, which were subsequently forwarded for adjudication. A key case involved ten steel structure suppliers allegedly engaged in bid rigging in tenders issued by power distribution companies (DISCOs). Another major case focused on two leading flat steel manufacturers accused of price fixing.
\nIn the transport sector, proceedings were initiated against the Transporters Goods Association (TGA) and the Local Goods Transport Association (LGTA) for allegedly fixing freight rates for cargo transport from Port Qasim. In the cables industry, leading companies were investigated for restricting their dealers from offering discounts below the notified prices\u2014an act considered a prohibited agreement under Resale Price Maintenance (RPM).
\nThe CCP\u2019s Office of Fair Trade (OFT) initiated 13 new investigations against businesses involved in deceptive marketing practices. Additionally, 8 inquiries from the previous year remained ongoing. OFT successfully concluded five investigations\u2014two in the pharmaceutical sector and one each in the construction, commodities, and education sectors.
\nNotable cases of deceptive marketing included AR Amreli Builders for unauthorized use of Amreli Steels\u2019 trademark, Panther Tyres for allegedly misleading claims of being \u201cPakistan\u2019s No. 1 Tyre,\u201d and FS Cosmetics for copying Dabur Amla Hair Oil\u2019s packaging\u2014 for making misleading claims.
\nChairman CCP, Dr. Kabir Sidhu, stated that cartelization, market manipulation through abuse of dominance, and deceptive marketing severely harm consumer rights and distort healthy competition. He emphasized that the CCP maintains zero tolerance for such practices and is committed to taking strict action against them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD To ensure fair business practices in markets, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) undertook robust enforcement measures in FY 2024\u201325, targeting cartelization, abuse of dominant position, and deceptive marketing practices. The Commission initiated 24 new inquiries\u201411 related to cartelization and 13 concerning deceptive marketing practices. It successfully concluded 14 investigations, which were forwarded for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-488877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-business"],"yoast_head":"\n