ISLAMABAD: Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has initiated investigation against around 88 housing schemes for deceptive marketing practices.
In a statement on Monday, the CCP said that it had launched the enquiry while taking notice of the widespread concerns and complaints regarding the prima facie deceptive market practices by various housing schemes in Punjab.
The CCP said that the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) informed through a letter that 88 housing schemes in Lahore and its adjacent district of Kasur, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib were luring investors and the general public through print and TV advertisements to invest in their schemes, without meeting the legal requirements and in violation of the pertinent laws.
The LDA has sought a ban on the advertising campaign of these schemes to save the citizens from financial losses.
The CCP took suo moto notices and authorized an enquiry team to thoroughly probe the housing schemes and submit the report to the Commission.
As part of the investigation the team had visited 62 housing schemes to see the situation on ground and was scheduled to visit the remaining housing schemes.
The team also met the Director General LDA and other concerned officials to enlighten itself about the pertinent issues and explore the ways to cooperate and coordinate in the areas of shared interests.
The CCP said that Section 10 of the Competition Act prohibits businesses from indulging in deceptive market practices, which also include the distribution of false or misleading information lacking reasonable basis, deceiving the consumers, and harming the business interest of the other undertakings.
If the violation of Section 10 is proved against the housing schemes, the CCP may issue show cause notices to them, according to the statement.
The CCP is mandated under the Competition Act to ensure free competition in all spheres of commercial and economic activity, to enhance economic efficiency and to protect consumers from anti-competitive behavior including deceptive market practices.
