CCP in contact with SAARC competition authorities to set up south asia competition netweork: says CCP Chairman Khalid Mirza.

Islamabad,  24-02-2010

The Chairman, Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), Mr. Khalid Mirza today informed the Competition Consultative Group (CCG) that CCP is in contact with competition authorities in the SAARC region to set up a South Asia Competition Network (SCN). He said this while presiding over the 8th meeting of CCG, which is a body set up by CCP to provide a platform for seeking advice and suggestions for better promotion of competition regime in Pakistan. The meeting was attended by senior CCP officials including Mr. Abdul Ghaffar (Member), Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan (Member), Dr. Joseph Wilson (Member), Ms. Vadiyya Khalil (Member), Mr. Shahid Ahmed (Director General Research) and Mr. Imran Ghaznavi (Director General Advocacy & Communications) besides the representatives of academia, other sector specific regulators, legal community and the private sector. The Chairman said that the aim of the proposed South Asia Competition Network would be, among other matters, to highlight the peculiar issues and sensibilities of this region so that these aspects are duly taken into consideration in determining global standards for enforcement of competition norms. Mr. Khalid Mirza apprised the CCG members of the recent developments and initiatives undertaken to promote competition in the country’s economy. One of the important initiatives, he informed, was the holding of a national conference in Karachi in January 2010 about which he briefed the participants of the meeting. He also briefed CCG members about an international conference being organized by CCP in May 2010. The conference, “Challenges in Implementation of Competition Laws in Developing Countries”, will bring together officials of competition agencies from the developing countries besides select competition experts from the developed world. Moreover, the CCG members were also briefed on recent enforcement actions taken by CCP against companies violating the Competition Ordinance. It was also informed that CCP is extending facilitation to the undertakings that are contemplating merger or acquisition and want to get informal and non binding view of CCP.