The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has made notable strides in reducing its legal backlog and recovering penalties, with 223 cases decided, effectively cutting the backlog by more than 40%.
According to a statement issued by the CCP on Wednesday, when the new management took charge in August 2023, there were 567 pending cases spread across various courts. Since then, the Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) has successfully resolved 121 out of 210 cases, reducing the pendency by 58%.
The Supreme Court has also played a significant role in clearing the backlog, deciding 11 cases. Additionally, 171 cases challenging the CCP’s mandate were clubbed for a single hearing, further streamlining the process.
The Lahore High Court resolved 39 cases, bringing down its pending cases by 78%, while the Sindh High Court disposed of 40 cases, cutting its backlog by 61%. The Islamabad High Court cleared 13 cases, reducing its caseload by 43%.
The resolution of these cases has not only reduced the legal pendency but also enabled the CCP to recover substantial penalties. In the past year alone, the commission recovered Rs360 million in penalties, surpassing the total amount of Rs201 million collected since its establishment in 2007.
Among the landmark judgments, the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Dalda Foods vs CCP case was a pivotal moment, strengthening the CCP’s enforcement capacity. Additionally, the Lahore High Court upheld the CCP’s authority to investigate alleged cartelization and price-fixing in the poultry sector.
These developments signal a renewed effort by the CCP to enforce competition laws effectively and efficiently, helping to ensure fair market practices in Pakistan.
