According to a statement issued on Monday,the Commission also established a Centre of Excellence in Competition Law (CECL) to support evidence-based policymaking and legal and regulatory reforms. The centre is conducting studies on the automobile industry, civil aviation market, solar energy market, cement sector and the impact of mergers in the telecom sector.
A detailed CCP report on the state of competition in Pakistan’s insurance industry identified low insurance penetration, limited outreach and a fragmented legal and regulatory framework as major challenges. The report noted that insurance penetration in Pakistan stands at 0.87%, compared to a global average of 6.7%, and highlighted the need for reforms to improve competition and consumer welfare.
The Commission also released its first Competition Assessment Study of the gold market. The report provided an evidence-based analysis of a sector characterised by informality and pricing opacity. It found that more than 90% of gold trading takes place outside formal channels. The study examined the potential impact of the Reko Diq copper-gold project on domestic supply chains and recommended the creation of a Gemstone and Gold Regulatory Authority.
In addition, CCP issued competition studies on the pesticide, steel and LNG sectors. The pesticide sector report highlighted Pakistan’s reliance on imported agricultural chemicals, the prevalence of counterfeit and substandard products, regulatory bottlenecks and weak enforcement affecting farmers and crop yields.
The LNG study identified dominant positions held by state-owned enterprises, limited private sector participation, restricted access to infrastructure and the impact of circular debt exceeding Rs2.8 trillion on market competition. The steel sector assessment outlined competition challenges and policy gaps affecting efficiency and market outcomes. The Commission also issued a Competition Assessment Study of the fertiliser industry, identifying barriers to competition across production, distribution and retail segments in a sector critical to agricultural productivity.
To strengthen inter-agency coordination, the CCP signed several memoranda of understanding during 2025. These included an MoU with the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation covering cooperation on cartel enforcement, merger control and competition policy research.
At the national level, the CCP entered into MoUs with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and the Punjab Food Authority to address deceptive marketing practices and improve monitoring of product claims.