ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has issued show-cause notices to ten steel structure suppliers involved in procurement tenders floated by various power distribution companies (Discos) for alleged collusive bidding.

The CCP took suo motu notice and initiated an inquiry under Section 37(1) of the Competition Act, 2010. During the inquiry, inspections were also conducted at the premises of three Lahore-based firms, where critical documents and records were impoun­ded for examination. Dur­ing the inquiry, bidding data from 2015 to 2022, obtained from all Discos, particularly the procurement of transmission towers.

Economic evidence revealed a consistent pattern of bidding where these firms appeared to have submitted identical or near-identical rates, with differences as small as 0.001 per cent to 1 per cent.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2024