CCP Reviews Show 50% Case Drop, PKR 1B Fines

Islamabad, August 28, 2025, 08:34 PM PKT — The Senate Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, has convened a rigorous review of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), with Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu detailing landmark achievements, as per official reports. Pending court cases dropped 50%, from 567 to 280, through active litigation, yielding PKR 410 million in fines, while 14 cartel orders imposed penalties over PKR 1 billion. CCP investigations launched 20 inquiries into cartelization and dominance abuse and 18 into deceptive marketing, with the Market Intelligence Unit flagging 193 potential cases, alongside approving 117 mergers and acquisitions, attracting PKR 29 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI).

The committee directed the Law Secretary to expedite hearings, with Raja Naeem noting 167 of 200 Supreme Court cases consolidated for a September constitutional bench hearing. Members demanded stricter action against cartelization in cement and sugar sectors, pledging full support for CCP’s enforcement. Web context on antitrust efforts shows past delays, while posts found on X reflect approval mixed with urgency—some cheer progress, others push for tougher measures. Critically, the narrative of “market fairness” may mask enforcement gaps—web data hints at persistent cartels, and X sentiment suggests distrust in complete resolution, pointing to potential challenges.