KARACHI: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) while taking notice of the recent sugarcane procurement crisis in the country has decided to convene an open hearing on the 25th of January 2018 to discuss competition concerns in the sugar sector. On 18 January 2018, CCP published a public notice in the newspapers to inform the stakeholders and general public about the open hearing, which is expected to be attended by the farmers, sugar mill owners, consumers both from trade and industry and the general public, as well as the concerned federal and provincial government officials. CCP will hear the viewpoints of all the stakeholders and will then issue its opinion. The importance of competition in the sugar sector cuts across various levels of the market from sugarcane growers, through sugar mills, to commercial and common consumers. As a result, this sector has been the subject of various enforcement, advocacy, and policy level initiatives of the CCP in the past, with all efforts invariably aimed at making the sector more competitive. The opening hearing is being held under the CCP’s advocacy mandate under Section 29 of the Competition Act, 2010. CCP is mandated to ensure a healthy competition in all spheres of commercial and economic activity to enhance economic efficiency and to protect consumers from anti-competitive practices. Those who wish to attend the open hearing may contact the Registrar of CCP by 23 January 2018 through phone number, 051-9100291, fax number, 051-9100297, email,asaeed@cc.gov.pk or through CCP’s postal address, 7th floor, 55-B, ISE Tower, Jinnah Avenue, Islamabad. For further details, please log on to CCP’s website,www.cc.gov.pk Published in Daily Times, January 23rd 2018.