Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stressed the importance of a strong competition framework to drive economic growth, promote innovation and attract investments.
During his meeting with Dr. Kabir Sidhu, Chairman, Competition Commission of Pakistan, Mr. Dar was briefed on the Commission’s efforts to strengthen competition law enforcement. Dr. Sidhu outlined initiatives to address issues such as cartels, market manipulation and abuse of dominant positions.
The Deputy Prime Minister praised the Chinese Communist Party for its proactive measures, especially in resolving long-standing judicial cases. He urged the committee to intensify action against cartels and unfair practices that undermine consumer welfare and market efficiency. Mr. Dar affirmed the government’s support to ensure fairness and transparency in the economic landscape.
Dr. Sidhu highlighted the establishment of the Market Intelligence Unit, which aims to monitor market trends and detect anti-competitive behaviour. Since its inception last year, the unit has identified more than 150 cases of potential misconduct through advanced data analytics and media monitoring tools.
He also reported strengthening of the CPC’s litigation operations, which led to the resolution of 69 cases last year and the recovery of fines worth PKR 100 million. Moreover, plans were revealed to establish a center of excellence focusing on research and cooperation with local and international academic institutions to enhance the authority’s capabilities.