National Assembly likely to pass 'Competition Bill': session to commence on September 20

The Competition Bill, 2009 is likely to be passed by the forthcoming 25th session of the National Assembly to start from Monday September 20, 2010, Business Recorder has learnt. According to National Assembly Secretariat sources, Minister for Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh would move the Competition Bill, 2009 to provide for free competition in all spheres of commercial and economic activities, to enhance economic efficiency and to protect consumers against anti-competitive behaviour.
The Senate has already passed this Bill under Article 70(2) of the Constitution. Sources said that the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) presently has no legal authority to take any action against cartels and companies involved in collusive behaviour and deceptive marketing practices. The Commission is unable to issue show-cause notices and inquiry reports in different cases due to expiry of the Competition Ordinance. The passage of the Bill in the next session of the National Assembly would enable the CCP to start actions against cartels to protect the general consumers.
Sources said that the Sacked Employees (Reinstatement) Bill, 2010 is also to be moved for passage in the lower house of the Parliament to provide relief to persons in corporation service or autonomous or semi-autonomous bodies or in government service who were dismissed, removed or terminated from service.
They said that the government is likely to move 'Abolition of Privy Purses and Privileges (Amendment) Bill, 2009 to amend the Rulers of Acceding States (Abolition of Privy Purses and Privileges) Order, 1972 while the Senate has already passed this Bill. The House would also discuss the situation arising out of mass devastation to life and property caused by the recent floods in the country.
Similarly, a calling attention notice would also be moved in the forthcoming session of the Nation Assembly to invite attention of the Minister for Sports to a matter of urgent public importance regarding match fixing scam of Pakistan cricket team in UK, causing grave concern among the public. This calling attention notice has been moved by Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Ms Nisar Tanveer, Muhammad Pervaiz, Shireen Arshad Khan and Nuzhat Sadiq. Sources said that a report of standing committee on Cabinet Secretariat will be presented in the House on the Bill further to amend the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Ordinance, 1965 [The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2007].
Similarly, standing committee on interior, would present the report on the Bill to amend the West Pakistan Regulation and Control of Loudspeakers and Sound Amplifiers Ordinance, 1965 in its application to the Islamabad Capital Territory [The West Pakistan Regulation and Control of Loudspeakers and Sound Amplifiers (Amendment) Bill, 2007].