Pakistan Poultry Association violates competition ordinance

The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has violated section 4 of the Competition Ordinance, 2010 by displaying pricing information of poultry products in its official website.

The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has conducted search and inspection of the offices of the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) in Karachi, Lahore and head office in Islamabad. CCP took notice of the website of PPA where the poultry products prices are determined and displayed on daily basis.

Being conscious of the fact that PPA as an undertaking is not involved in the production or sale of any poultry products and display of prices on its website at first sight gives an impression that either prices are decided by the association or are dictated by other interested persons by utilising its platform.

The officials of the association present at the zonal offices and head office fully co- operated and provided complete assistance to the officers of CCP in conducting the search and inspection.

The inspection teams of CCP have impounded certain documents/files and the computerised information to analyse the same by the Enquiry Officers, so appointed in this regard under the provisions of the Competition Ordinance, 2010.

The CCP team headed by Director General, Ikram-ul-haq Qureshi conducted search and inspections of PPA in Karachi on May 25, 2010 and in Islamabad and Lahore, headed by Director General Tariq Bakhtawar and Director Shaista Bano on May 24, 2010.