ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Mr. Azam Nazir Tarar, visited the head office of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) on Friday. The Chairman CCP, Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, along with CCP members Mr. Salman Amin, Mr. Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Mr. Saeed Ahmad Nawaz, and Ms. Bushra Naz Malik, warmly greeted the Minister.
During the visit, Mr. Tarar was briefed in detail on the CCP’s operational challenges and the legal barriers hindering its work. The Minister expressed his commitment to facilitating the prompt appointment of Chairman of CAT and members.
The CCP shared its efforts in addressing the backlog, highlighting the resolution of 69 cases in the past 12 months recovering penalties worth Rs. 100 million. However, the appointment of the CAT Chairman to the Supreme Court has left the Tribunal non-functional, exacerbating the delays in resolving key competition-related cases.
The Law Minister was informed that CCP’s pending cases are spread across various courts, with 211 cases in the Supreme Court, 43 in the Lahore High Court, 44 in the Sindh High Court, and several more in the Islamabad, Peshawar, and High Courts. Additionally, there are 172 cases before the CAT. The CCP management discuss the possibility of specialized bench in Supreme Court to decide the competition related cases.
The CCP also updated the Minister on its efforts to fight cartelization, including the establishment of a Market Intelligence Unit (MIU) which has identified over 150 cases using advanced data analysis and media monitoring tools. The CCP is also establishing a Centre of Excellence in Competition Law to promote research and scholarship, and has identified regulatory barriers in sectors like insurance, aviation, road construction, and power.
Minister Tarar’s visit signals a renewed commitment from the government to support the CCP’s efforts in ensuring fair competition and removing barriers to market entry, ultimately benefiting businesses and consumers alike.
