Dr. Joseph Wilson, the Chairman, Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has said that Chambers of Commerce can play vital role in the effective implementation of Competition Law, which is essential for ensuring a competitive economy. This he said while addressing an advocacy session at the Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The session was also attended by Khawaja Muhammad Usman, President MCCI, Dr. Shehzad Ansar, CCP Member Advocacy, Executive Committee and General Body members of MCCI in large number. Dr. Wilson said that effective enforcement of the Competition Law is a must for ensuring consumer welfare as well as creating an enabling environment for business and industrial growth as it encourages enterprise and efficiency while discouraging anti-competitive practices. Dr. Wilson briefed the participants of the meeting on key provisions of the Competition Act, 2010 and said the Competition rules and regulations are in line with the modern Competition Laws. While elaborating the substantive provision of the Law, he said that the Law provides for protection from economic ills such as cartelization, abuse of dominance, and deceptive marketing that are equally bad for consumer as well as business and industry. By citing various cases, he informed the participants that CCP had taken notice of anti-competitive activities in almost all economic sectors and is vigilant in curbing activities that are harmful to the interests of businesses and consumers. The Chairman said that the Commission has the powers to grant individual or block exemptions on grounds of efficiency or economic merit which did not exist in the previsions Competition Law of Pakistan. Similarly, CCP has recently issued Reward Payment Regulations for encouraging whistleblowers to contact the Commission for sharing information about anti-competitive practices. Moreover, the powers to carry out search and inspection helps the Commission to investigate the violations in an effective manner. Dr. Shehzad Ansar, while addressing the session briefed the participants on the role of Office of Fair Trade, established by CCP to curb deceptive marketing practices. Khawaja Muhammad Usman, President MCCI, lauded the role of CCP in promoting competition in the economy. He assured MCCI's support in implementation of the Competition Law. The advocacy session was conducted as part of an awareness program initiated by CCP to sensitize the business community on Competition Law by holding advocacy sessions at the leading Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the country. CCP is mandated under Section 29 of the Competition Act, 2010 to take steps for creating awareness and understanding of the Competition Law for promoting a culture of competition. In the first round of the awareness program, CCP has reached out to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry by holding advocacy sessions. The other chambers to be approached in the near future include, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rahimyar Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jehlum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Dr. Joseph Wilson, the Chairman, Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has said that Chambers of Commerce can play vital role in the effective implementation of Competition Law, which is essential for ensuring a competitive economy. This he said while addressing an advocacy session at the Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The session was also attended by Khawaja Muhammad Usman, President MCCI, Dr. Shehzad Ansar, CCP Member Advocacy, Executive Committee and General Body members of MCCI in large number.
Dr. Wilson said that effective enforcement of the Competition Law is a must for ensuring consumer welfare as well as creating an enabling environment for business and industrial growth as it encourages enterprise and efficiency while discouraging anti-competitive practices.
Dr. Wilson briefed the participants of the meeting on key provisions of the Competition Act, 2010 and said the Competition rules and regulations are in line with the modern Competition Laws. While elaborating the substantive provision of the Law, he said that the Law provides for protection from economic ills such as cartelization, abuse of dominance, and deceptive marketing that are equally bad for consumer as well as business and industry. By citing various cases, he informed the participants that CCP had taken notice of anti-competitive activities in almost all economic sectors and is vigilant in curbing activities that are harmful to the interests of businesses and consumers. The Chairman said that the Commission has the powers to grant individual or block exemptions on grounds of efficiency or economic merit which did not exist in the previsions Competition Law of Pakistan. Similarly, CCP has recently issued Reward Payment Regulations for encouraging whistleblowers to contact the Commission for sharing information about anti-competitive practices. Moreover, the powers to carry out search and inspection helps the Commission to investigate the violations in an effective manner.
Dr. Shehzad Ansar, while addressing the session briefed the participants on the role of Office of Fair Trade, established by CCP to curb deceptive marketing practices.
Khawaja Muhammad Usman, President MCCI, lauded the role of CCP in promoting competition in the economy. He assured MCCI's support in implementation of the Competition Law.
The advocacy session was conducted as part of an awareness program initiated by CCP to sensitize the business community on Competition Law by holding advocacy sessions at the leading Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the country. CCP is mandated under Section 29 of the Competition Act, 2010 to take steps for creating awareness and understanding of the Competition Law for promoting a culture of competition.
In the first round of the awareness program, CCP has reached out to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry by holding advocacy sessions. The other chambers to be approached in the near future include, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rahimyar Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jehlum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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