CCP to set up Competition Consultative Group
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has decided to set up a Competition Consultative Group to receive feedback to further improve its working for encouraging positive business competition in the country.
“The Group would have upto 15 members from the business community,professionals and representatives of sector specific regulators to work as platform for the Commission to receive feedback on its working,” Khalid Mirza CCP Chairman said in a interview here. The representatives from State Bank of Pakistan, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Pakistan Business Council (PBC), Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP, and American Business Council of Pakistan (ABCP) would be included in the group.
He said the Commission’s only objective was to provide a competitive environment in the country and a level playing field to all the concerned. Khalid Mirza, appreciated that he had been provided competent staff members and even best possible law of international standard to enable the commission promote positive business competition. He was of the view that the commission should be given a share percentage from the regulators adding that the commission needed seed money of 100 million, however only 50 million were provided so far.
Khalid Mirza said that an expert in the international competition Dr.Joseph William from Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS) is part of CCP as there was no shortage of efficient and competent staff in the commission. Replying to a question, he clarified that CCP has nothing to do with prices hike adding that the job of the commission was to identify, discourage the unfair and break restrictive trade practices like cartelization. Chairman CCP indicted three factors i.e SBP for financial sector, SECP for corporate sector and sound competition laws for promotion of competition in the country.
However, he added, despite scarcity of funds, the commission was working to best of its capacity saying that timely and proper funding would enable it function properly to achieve the desired results. To a question, he said that changing trends of globalization, privatization and liberalization had made it imperative to replace the Monopoly Control Authority (MCA) with Competition Commission of Pakistan, to ensure healthy business competition and check manipulative business activities and abusive trade practices.
Khalid Mirza said that under the new law, the commission is authorized to impose fine of Rs.50 million on those found involved in business abuses and manipulative practices adding that earlier the fine for such offence was only Rs.100,000.
Khalid A.Mirza said the Commission has the authority to visit any office under the preview of the commission and get required information.
Explaining the cartelization and its negative impact on the general public, he said “Cartelization is a conspiracy against public”.
He added in developed countries like America cartelization is considered as criminal act and the guilty could be awarded even 15-years imprisonment.