KEY POINTS
- CCP held an awareness session at Quaid-i-Azam University to brief students on competition law and consumer protection
- Core topics covered included Sections 3 & 4 (prohibited agreements, abuse of dominance) and Sections 10 & 11 (deceptive marketing, merger control) of the Competition Act, 2010
- Speakers from CCP and QAU — including Marryum Pervaiz and Salman Zafar — used case studies on cartelisation and bid-rigging to illustrate enforcement
- Call to action: Academia and regulators were encouraged to collaborate closely to address anti-competitive conduct in digital and e-commerce spaces.
ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) took its advocacy programme to campus on Thursday, conducting an awareness session at Quaid-i-Azam University aimed at demystifying competition law for students and faculty.
The event combined a legal overview with practical enforcement examples to demonstrate how antitrust rules protect consumers and stimulate market innovation.
Dr Aziz-ur-Rehman, director of QAU’s School of Law, opened the session highlighting the importance of competition policy in preventing monopolistic practices and promoting a level playing field.
Marryum Pervaiz, Secretary to the Commission and Head of Advocacy, outlined the CCP’s mandate and regulatory framework, while Salman Zafar, Senior Director (Finance, Cartel & Trade Abuse), guided attendees through Sections 3 and 4 of the Competition Act, illustrating with real-world case studies on cartelisation and bid-rigging.
Pervaiz also explained merger-control rules and deceptive marketing provisions under Sections 10 and 11, emphasising how oversight helps curb misleading advertising and anti-competitive consolidations.
In conclusion, Dr Javed Iqbal of QAU’s School of Economics urged the CCP to expand outreach on misleading digital marketing and e-commerce consolidation, advocating for stronger links between universities and regulators to foster a culture of competitive compliance.
The session concluded with an active Q&A, as students questioned enforcement tools and the relevance of competition law to Pakistan’s evolving digital economy markets.
