Islamabad, Pakistan – July 2025 The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), now operating under leadership appointed in August 2023, has instituted significant reforms to enhance its regulatory effectiveness and ensure fair competition in the national economy.

Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, Finance and Revenue Minister, reported to the Senate that more than 50% of CCP’s pending 567 court cases have been resolved in the past two years. The Commission issued 11 major enforcement orders and recovered approximately PKR 120 million in penalties from violators.

Under the leadership of Chairman Dr. Kabir Sidhu, CCP has established a state‑of‑the‑art Market Intelligence Unit (MIU) and a Center of Competition Research. These units leverage data analytics and AI-driven models to proactively identify anti-competitive behavior, and have detected 170 potential violations across 28 key sectors, including banking, telecom, pharmaceuticals, e‑commerce, and real estate.

In addition, the CCP has streamlined merger approvals and antitrust clearances: 17 merger & acquisition cases were processed and 83 regulatory exemptions granted, mainly benefiting the pharmaceutical, energy, and banking industries.

Aurangzeb emphasized that these proactive reforms reflect the government’s commitment to bridging private sector growth with robust oversight and transparency. New institutional reforms are aimed at strengthening investor confidence, safeguarding consumers, and curbing practices like insider trading and price manipulation.