The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has intensified its crackdown on anti-competitive behaviors, significantly stepping up enforcement measures targeting cartelization and deceptive marketing across various sectors of the economy. During the fiscal year 2024–25, the Commission launched multiple inquiries resulting in a number of completed investigations and regulatory actions aimed at ensuring fair competition and protecting consumer interests nationwide.
According to the CCP’s annual enforcement report, the Commission initiated a total of 24 new inquiries over the fiscal year. Out of these, 11 investigations specifically addressed cartelization issues, while the remaining 13 focused on deceptive marketing practices. At the same time, the regulatory body concluded investigations on 14 cases and forwarded these for adjudication. The concluded cases encompassed several critical economic sectors, such as e-commerce, telecom, aviation, steel, transportation, edible oil, pharmaceuticals, construction, essential commodities, and education.
As part of CCP’s stronger enforcement framework, a total of 22 show-cause notices were dispatched to parties alleged to have been involved in anti-competitive conduct. These cases spanned violations including bid-rigging, price coordination among market participants, misleading advertising campaigns, and unauthorized use or infringement of trademarks.
Within the broader scope of CCP activity, the Cartel and Trade Abuse Department finalized nine significant inquiries. The highlighted investigations addressed serious offenses, such as bid-rigging in public-sector steel procurement tenders, coordinated pricing behavior in the flat-steel market, and price fixing of freight charges by trade associations operating within the transport sector. By targeting industries such as manufacturing, energy, and services, CCP addressed markets that directly impact prices, product quality, and supply-chain effectiveness across the country.
Meanwhile, the CCP’s Office of Fair Trade conducted extensive monitoring to combat deceptive and unfair trade practices. Throughout the year, the office pursued 21 separate inquiries, including 13 newly initiated investigations alongside eight ongoing cases. Of these, five investigations concluded successfully, leading to the issuance of show-cause notices. Violations identified frequently included false or misleading marketing claims and the unauthorized or misleading use of trademarks, especially across fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), pharmaceuticals, real estate developments, cosmetics companies, educational institutions, and financial services providers.
This heightened enforcement activity underscores the evolving and increasingly pivotal role of the CCP in safeguarding market competition, promoting transparency, and protecting consumers from unfair business practices. As digital markets grow rapidly and supply chains become increasingly complex, the Commission remains committed to robust oversight and regulatory intervention across both traditional and emerging sectors of Pakistan’s economy.
