CCP steps up action against cartels, deceptive marketing in 2025

January 01, 2026 (MLN): The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) significantly intensified its enforcement drive in 2025, imposed penalties worth Rs2.36bn on companies involved in cartelization, price manipulation, prohibited agreements, and deceptive marketing practices, while recovering Rs932.5m through active follow-up and adjudication.

The Commission also made notable progress in tackling its long-pending litigation, cutting its court case backlog by 70% during the year, said a press release issued.

Through early hearing applications, improved legal representation, and sustained follow-up, the CCP secured decisions in 434 cases out of 567 pending as of August 2023, an average resolution rate of nearly one case every two days.

During the year, the Commission issued 11 major orders under the Competition Act, 2010.

 These included five orders related to cartelization and prohibited agreements, four concerning deceptive marketing, and one order in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector where a show-cause notice was withdrawn due to insufficient evidence.

A major highlight of 2025 was the CCP’s approval of second-phase mergers, including the acquisition of Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers by Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL).

The PTCL–Telenor transaction was described as one of the most complex merger assessments globally, involving competition analysis across five distinct markets.

Sector-wise, the largest penalties were imposed on Aisha Steel Mills Limited and International Steels Limited, which were fined a combined Rs1.56bn for price-fixing.

The Fertilizer Manufacturers of Pakistan Advisory Council and six of its member companies were penalized Rs375m for collusive conduct, while the Pakistan Poultry Association and eight Day Old Chicks (DOC) companies were fined Rs155m for fixing prices.

Additional penalties were levied against Hyundai Nishat Motors, Al-Ghazi Tractors, British Lyceum, Kingdom Valley, pharmaceutical distributors, and transporters’ associations for engaging in deceptive marketing and anti-competitive agreements.

As part of its enforcement actions, the CCP issued 47 show-cause notices during the year.

 These included 14 notices related to deceptive marketing practices involving FMCG companies, certification service providers, and veterinary medicine suppliers.

Twenty notices were issued to school systems for anti-competitive conduct, while 13 notices were served under Section 4 of the Competition Act for cartelization, targeting ten sugar mills, two steel mills, and an edible oil transporters’ association.

On the recovery front, the Rs932.56m collected in 2025 pushed total penalty recoveries over the past two years to more than Rs1.194bn an unprecedented increase compared to the Rs200m recovered during the previous 17 years since the Commission’s establishment.

In addition to enforcement, the CCP reviewed 159 merger transactions across 34 sectors, including energy and power, telecommunications, financial services, manufacturing, consumer goods, real estate, and logistics.

Key transactions reviewed included Shell Pakistan’s acquisition by Wafi Energy, SadaPay’s share transfer, Lotte Chemical Pakistan’s transaction, Total Parco’s restructuring, and the acquisition of TCS Logistics.

The Commission’s reform agenda and enforcement performance were recently highlighted during a visit by Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, who met CCP Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu at the Commission’s head office, according to another press release issued.

The Governor was briefed on institutional and legal reforms aimed at strengthening enforcement, reducing backlogs, and improving regulatory effectiveness, and he appreciated the CCP’s role in protecting consumers and ensuring fair competition.

Looking ahead, the CCP plans to expand its presence by establishing offices in major cities to strengthen market oversight, enhance stakeholder engagement, and ensure more effective enforcement of competition laws across the country.

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