The Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) held an advocacy session with the Commission where the representatives of the chamber apprised the Commission of different competition issues and sought its help in removing entry barriers in the different sectors. From KCCI, the advocacy session was attended by President Muhammad Idrees, Vice President Qazi Zahid Hussain, Managing Committee Members, and from CCP by the Chairperson Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan, Member Mr. Mujtaba Ahmad Lodhi, and Director Generals Mr. Noman Laiq and Asfandyar Khattak. Briefing the participants on the Commission’s work, Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan, Chairperson of the Commission, said that the Commission has imposed penalties of up to PKR. 70 billion for different violations of the Act on various sectors. However, the recovery remains paltry due to the fact that most of the undertakings have challenged the Commission’s Orders in the higher courts where the due process of judicial review is underway. She further said that as against the general impression, the Commission is not a price regulator, but it only intervenes where the prices of goods and services are affected by anti-competitive practices such as abuse of dominance and cartelization. The main job of the Commission is to make sure that markets are functioning in compliance with the competition rules and regulations. The Commission is not against businesses; rather the Competition Law is pro-business and pro- growth, however, without strict enforcement of the law, a competition culture cannot prevail. She informed that as per OECD reports/estimates, prices can go down 25-30 percent if cartels are busted. During the session, members of KCCI brought several issues and competition related matters into the Commission’s notice. The Chairperson offered that the Commission can change its regulations to exempt the Chambers of Commerce from charging of fee for filing formal complaints in endeavoring to address concern in resolving competition issues. She informed that the informant reward scheme and leniency provisions are available which the business community can benefit from and help the Commission in identifying the anti-competitive issues. She assured the Commission’s full support in resolving the competition issues and creating a level playing field. Earlier, President KCCI Muhammad Idrees, while welcoming the Chairperson, stated that the Commission undoubtedly plays an important role in providing equal opportunities and a level playing field to the business and industrial community and the efforts being made by the Commission have led to not only improving the business climate to a certain extent but also ensured that public is saved from unlawful profiteering, counterfeiting and sub-standard products. He also lauded the effort of launching two draft studies in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and E-commerce sectors and opined that the activities undertaken by the Commission not only save the business and industrial community from anti-competitive practices but also protect consumers from being exploited.
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) held an advocacy session with the Commission where the representatives of the chamber apprised the Commission of different competition issues and sought its help in removing entry barriers in the different sectors.
From KCCI, the advocacy session was attended by President Muhammad Idrees, Vice President Qazi Zahid Hussain, Managing Committee Members, and from CCP by the Chairperson Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan, Member Mr. Mujtaba Ahmad Lodhi, and Director Generals Mr. Noman Laiq and Asfandyar Khattak.
Briefing the participants on the Commission’s work, Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan, Chairperson of the Commission, said that the Commission has imposed penalties of up to PKR. 70 billion for different violations of the Act on various sectors. However, the recovery remains paltry due to the fact that most of the undertakings have challenged the Commission’s Orders in the higher courts where the due process of judicial review is underway. She further said that as against the general impression, the Commission is not a price regulator, but it only intervenes where the prices of goods and services are affected by anti-competitive practices such as abuse of dominance and cartelization. The main job of the Commission is to make sure that markets are functioning in compliance with the competition rules and regulations. The Commission is not against businesses; rather the Competition Law is pro-business and pro- growth, however, without strict enforcement of the law, a competition culture cannot prevail. She informed that as per OECD reports/estimates, prices can go down 25-30 percent if cartels are busted.
During the session, members of KCCI brought several issues and competition related matters into the Commission’s notice. The Chairperson offered that the Commission can change its regulations to exempt the Chambers of Commerce from charging of fee for filing formal complaints in endeavoring to address concern in resolving competition issues. She informed that the informant reward scheme and leniency provisions are available which the business community can benefit from and help the Commission in identifying the anti-competitive issues. She assured the Commission’s full support in resolving the competition issues and creating a level playing field.
Earlier, President KCCI Muhammad Idrees, while welcoming the Chairperson, stated that the Commission undoubtedly plays an important role in providing equal opportunities and a level playing field to the business and industrial community and the efforts being made by the Commission have led to not only improving the business climate to a certain extent but also ensured that public is saved from unlawful profiteering, counterfeiting and sub-standard products. He also lauded the effort of launching two draft studies in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and E-commerce sectors and opined that the activities undertaken by the Commission not only save the business and industrial community from anti-competitive practices but also protect consumers from being exploited.
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