The Competition Appellate Tribunal on Monday disposed of the petition filed by Pakistan Poultry Association after it was proved that the poultry association formed a cartel in order to increase prices.
The tribunal upheld the verdict given by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and ordered the association to pay Rs25 million in fine.
Counsel for the association, on the occasion, prayed to the tribunal to reduce the fine in light of the verdict given by the Supreme Court in a similar case.
Following which, the tribunal reduced the amount from Rs50 million to Rs25 million, and ordered the association to deposit the fine within 15 days.
The Competition Commission had fined the association for forming a cartel for an increase in prices.
In 2010, the Competition Commission of Pakistan fined the Pakistan Poultry Association and its members Rs50 million for forming a cartel and illegally colluding on poultry product prices, in violation of Section 4 of the Competition Act.
The action triggered prolonged legal proceedings over cartelization in the poultry sector.
During the hearing, counsel for the appellant told the tribunal that the association had no objection to the appeal being decided in line with the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in a similar case, in which the apex court had taken a lenient view and reduced the penalty.
Relying on the same reasoning, and with the consent of the appellant, the Appellate Tribunal reduced the total penalty to Rs25 million. The tribunal held that the facts of the present appeal were largely similar. It disposed of the case without examining the merits afresh.
