The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has successfully recovered a Rs5 million penalty from Wateen Telecom (Pvt.) Ltd.
The recovery was made under Section 40(2)(a) of the Competition Act, 2010, which allows CCP to attach bank accounts of non-compliant entities. The penalty was initially imposed following an investigation into complaints from residents of DHA Lahore regarding limited service options and substandard services provided by Wateen Telecom.
CCP found that an exclusive agreement between DHA Lahore and Wateen Telecom violated competition law by restricting consumer choice. Despite challenges to CCP’s decision, the Competition Appellate Tribunal upheld the penalties.
The recovery of the penalty marks a significant step in enforcing competition laws and protecting consumer interests in Pakistan.