The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has launched a groundbreaking initiative, the Market Intelligence Unit (MIU), with the aim of combatting collusive practices and cartels in the country’s markets. This marks a shift from a reactive enforcement approach to a proactive one.
To bolster its capabilities, CCP has already entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Urban Unit in Punjab and will also access data on essential commodities from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. MIU’s primary objective is to gather and analyze market data to uncover collusion and cartel activities that artificially inflate prices, often at the expense of consumers.
Collusive practices have a long history, and those involved in market abuse have become increasingly sophisticated. MIU, in line with international best practices, will collect economic data and monitor various sectors and industries through market surveys and consumer feedback. It will examine both the supply and demand sides of markets to detect any disruptions in the natural equilibrium of prices. The unit will leverage various software, tools, econometrics models, and price movement analysis to curb market abuse, collusion, and cartels.
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In essence, CCP’s Market Intelligence Unit is a forward-looking initiative designed to protect consumers and promote fair competition by using advanced technological and analytical tools to maintain a level playing field in Pakistan’s markets and prevent the manipulation of prices by unscrupulous players.