LAHORE: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) held an awareness session at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) on the evolution and the substantive provisions of competition law. The session aimed to enhance understanding of core areas, including abuse of dominant position, prohibited agreements (cartelization), deceptive marketing practices, and mergers and acquisitions while promoting a culture of compliance within the business community.
Chairman CCP, Farid Ahmad Tarar, led the CCP delegation, while the session was attended by LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol, members of the senior management, the Executive Committee, and a large number of general body members.
Addressing the participants, the Chairman emphasized that distortion of competition harms both businesses and consumers, and underscored the importance of fostering a culture of compliance. He highlighted CCP’s ongoing efforts to modernize its enforcement framework, including the automation of complaint handling mechanisms and the development of guidelines, particularly in emerging areas such as e-commerce.
He also stressed the importance of collaboration with stakeholders and strengthening advocacy initiatives to promote voluntary compliance. In this regard, he encouraged LCCI to establish a voluntary compliance regime within the Chamber and develop practical guidelines for its members. He further noted that CCP is actively working on sector-specific guidelines and will continue to engage through targeted outreach and social media campaigns to raise awareness across industries.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol appreciated CCP’s outreach efforts and emphasized the need to strengthen linkages with the business community. He underscored the importance of regular engagement sessions and proposed formalizing cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). He noted that healthy competition is essential for a vibrant and sustainable economy.
Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh and Vice President Khurram Lodhi also spoke on the occasion highlighting the importance of sustained engagement between CCP and the business community. They suggested holding regular advocacy sessions, including monthly interactions, and proposed the designation of focal persons to enhance coordination and collaboration between CCP and the Chamber. They also emphasized the need for continued cooperation to promote a competitive business environment.
Senior CCP officials, including Director General Dr. Ikram ul Haq, Director and Secretary to the Commission Marryum Pervaiz, and Director Maliha Quddus, delivered detailed presentations on key provisions of the Competition Act, including abuse of dominant position, prohibited agreements, deceptive marketing practices, and mergers and acquisitions. The presentations provided practical insights into compliance requirements and highlighted the role of competition law in ensuring fair market practices. The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session.
The session was also attended by LCCI Secretary General Shahid Khalil, Executive Committee members including Irfan Ahmad Qureshi, Amir Ali, Mohsin Bashir Ali, Imran Saleemi, Muhammad Muneeb Monnoo and others. The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, reflecting strong interest from participants and reinforcing the importance of continued dialogue between the regulator and the business community.
