Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Information Minister launching 24/7 broadcast on PTV National Channel at Pakistan Television Center
CCP conclude its inquiry against urea manufacturers, FMPAC
ISLAMABAD, Jul 11 (APP): An inquiry committee of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) on Tuesday concluded its inquiry and recommended the initiation of proceeding under Section 30 of the Competition Act, 2010 against urea manufacturers and the Fertilizers Manufacturers of Pakistan Advisory Council (FMPAC).
This inquiry recommendation was based on a prima facie violation of Section 4 ‘Prohibited Agreements’ of the Competition Act, 2010, by manufacturers and FMPAC by announcing the ‘Maximum Retail Price’ of urea at Rs 1,768 per 50 KG Bag, said a press release issued here.
The inquiry was initiated following an advertisement published by FMPAC and its members on 26th November 2021, announcing a ‘Maximum Retail Price of Urea’ during a period of rising urea prices and reported shortages.
According to the Fertilizer Policy of 2001, urea prices were deregulated, and respective provincial agriculture departments notified urea prices from time to time as it is considered an essential item. These prices, as already fixed by the Companies, are notified by the agriculture department to use as a reference to check on any profiteering.
It was noted that the companies issue their price lists, which are then notified by the respective Deputy Director of Agriculture (Extension) under the authority of the Punjab Essential Articles (Control) Act, 1973. To obtain copies of these price notifications and the underlying company price lists for the years 2021 and 2022, the inquiry committee contacted the Agriculture Department of Punjab.
The department provided notifications from 22 districts, as detailed in Table 14 (copies of the notifications have been provided). As per the finding of the inquiry report, the pricing pattern of different Fertilizer manufacturers in the urea Industry exhibit price parallelism (uniform pricing) pointing towards possible collusion in the industry.
Specifically, the prices of Engro, FFC, Fatima, and Agritech show a parallel movement, with minor differences between them. For instance, in Rawalpindi, between February 2021 and June 2022, the prices increased by Rs 232 for Engro, Rs 233 for FFC and Fatima, and Rs 230 for Agritech.
Interestingly, all companies reduced their prices to Rs 1,850 in May 2022, only to increase them again to Rs 1,950 in June 2022. In Layyah district, from January 2021 to November 2021, Engro, FFC, and Fatima (excluding Agritech) experienced an increase in prices by Rs 482 per bag or 27.26% between February 2022 and November 2022. These findings highlight the trend of price similarity and the common pricing practices within the urea industry.
The inquiry concluded that the advertisement by FMPAC and its members constituted a prima facie decision by an association, specifying the selling rate for urea fertilizer. Furthermore, it was observed that the announced price was implemented by urea companies, raising concerns about whether this pricing consistency was coincidental or a result of collusive/coordinated activities.
The urea sector in Pakistan comprises six companies. FFC dominates the market with a 39% share, followed by Engro at 36%. Fatima Fertilizer holds a market share of 13%, while Agritech accounts for 4%.
It is worth noting that urea producers received subsidized feedstock gas from the government. Considering the variations in cost structures and subsidies received by manufacturers, the similarity or uniformity in prices raises questions.
Pakistan’s agriculture sector, contributing 22.7% to the GDP, relies heavily on fertilizers with an average usage of 207 kg per hectare. Recent price hikes by FMPAC and its members resulted in gains of Rs 1.8 billion during the Rabi season.
Major fertilizer companies like FFC, Engro, and Fatima Fertilizer saw significant profits in 2021, except for Agritech. FFC’s profit before tax in 2021 was Rs 30.3 billion, Engro’s Rs 29.8 billion, and Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited Rs 28.2 billion.
However, these gains increased costs for farmers and consumers. The sector’s subsidized gas, costing Rs156 billion, raises concerns about fairness.
The advertisement by FMPAC (Fertilizer Manufacturers and Suppliers Association) and its members, in which they collectively announce the price of urea in the relevant market, appears to constitute a decision according to the Act.
This decision is a prima facie violation of Section 4(1) read with Section 4(2)(a) of the Act as the announcement of prices is considered a purely commercial decision that falls outside the permissible activities of an association.
Associations should not engage in activities that have an adverse effect on competition. As the prices of urea fertilizer are deregulated, both the association and the urea manufacturers have committed a prima facie violation of Section 4(2)(a) of the Act.
They are collectively fixing the price of urea instead of independently intimating their respective prices to the government, which goes against fair competition principles.
Marriyum inaugurates project to increase regional languages transmission on PTV National
PESHAWAR, Jul 11 (APP): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb Tuesday inaugurated a project aimed at ensuring regional languages around-the-clock transmission on Pakistan Television (PTV) National.
The initiative was meant to promote regional languages and provide quality entertainment to locals and overseas Pakistanis.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony at PTV Peshawar Center, Marriyum Aurangzeb said besides people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, the overseas Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia, UAE and other Gulf countries would also be able to watch their favourite programs and musical shows through satellite on PTV.
Congratulating the ministry of Information team and PTV management, she said the project was launched in response to the long-standing demand of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It would not only promote the culture and heritage of Khyber Pakthunkhwa abroad but would also bring people of different languages closer.
She said the closure of cinemas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa especially in Peshawar had adversely affected the entertainment industry. PTV was a family channel and its transmission could be watched across the country, she added.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said KP was rich in culture and heritage and its entertainment industry would be instrumental in curbing intolerance in society.
To promote cinema culture, she said a cinema was inaugurated on the premises of Radio Pakistan Lahore and Peshawar to provide recreational opportunities to the public.
The minister said those who ransacked and burnt the Radio Pakistan Peshawar building, its Chaghi model mountains, studios, auditorium and dramas/music archives had been exposed before the masses.
She said under national digitalization program, the music and other archives of Radio Pakistan and PTV would be digitalized.
The minister said that the people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa had bravely fought the war against terrorism and the promotion of cinema and films was meant to provide them with healthy entertainment, information and education.
Marriyum Aurangzeb lashed out at the previous government for its poor policies and hollow slogans, saying that she had neither seen 350 dams nor billions of trees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Through PTV Flix, she said the people of Pakistan could now watch their favourite dramas, films and songs through their mobile phones.
She said one party had put on fire the national installations and attacked national monuments on May 9 after its politics became irrelevant while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had constructed motorways, energy projects and made Pakistan’s defense impregnable.
The minister said that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had launched free laptops scheme for students of Pakistan including Khyber Pakthunkhwa. She said the prime minister distributed laptops among talented students of different universities in Peshawar today.
She said Fata University Phase-1 completed with an estimated cost of Rs1.5 billion was inaugurated by the prime minister today, however, its foundation was laid during the previous Government of PML-N.
She said the development projects launched by the PML-N government had brought positive changes in people’s lives.
Engr Amir Muqam, Adviser to the Prime Minister for Political and Public Affairs and National Heritage said that PTV being a family channel had provided quality education, information and entertainment since its establishment.
He said extension of transmission of PTV National was the long awaited demand of the people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa and overseas Pakistanis that was fulfilled today by the Government.
He expressed that PTV National would give appropriate time to all languages of Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
Secretary Information and Managing Director PTV, Sohail Ali Khan said that existing resources were used in the extension of the transmission period of the PTV National.
He said it would help create national cohesion and bring people of different languages closer.
He said that the transmission time of PTV Multan’s Seraiki, PTV Lahore’s Punjabi and PTV Sindh’s Sindhi would be increased shortly.
Besides PTV authorities, the function was also attended by Adviser to the Chief Minister for Revenue, Pir Haroon Shah, Principal Information Officer, Mubashir Hassan, DG PID Ashfaq Khalil and GM PTV Peshawar Aurangzeb Afridi.
Later, traditional gifted was presented to the Federal Minister.
PBF commends Govt’s endeavours of renewing agribusiness area
KARACHI, Jul 11 (APP): The Pakistan Business Forum (PBF), lauding the Green Pakistan Initiative launched by the incumbent government, on Tuesday said that the country’s second green revolution would pave the way for progress and prosperity, besides attracting massive foreign direct investment.
PBF Vice President Chaudhry Ahmad Jawad, in interaction with APP, said the historic initiative with the Pakistan Army’s special focus on revolutionising the agricultural sector would make farming the significant driver of the monetary development and ensure food security as well.
He said in Pakistan’s agricultural sector, billion-dollar investments are anticipated within the next four to five years through the promotion of cutting-edge technology, collaboration between the public and private sectors, and dividends distributed to local farmers to alleviate poverty.
“The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations import $40 billion worth of agricultural and food products annually,” he said, adding under the supervision of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, the government intended to attract investment in the amount of billions of dollars into Pakistan’s agriculture sector from the GCC nations.
In addition to the creation of 4 million new jobs, there would be an investment of approximately $40 billion over the next four to five years, Jawad anticipated.
“We are importing $4.5 billion worth of palm oil and as an emerging nation we can’t spend such a gigantic sum on the import of a single commodity,” he added.
Pakistan, he said, used to produce more cotton than the neighbouring country, “but today we are behind in cotton, wheat, and other agricultural products. Pakistan produces great Basmati rice but now it has many competitors.”
“In a year or two, our agri-based economy will be revived. We will not have to seek further loans but investors will come by themselves,” he hoped.
The PBF official while speaking on Land Information Management System – Centre of Excellence (LIMS – COE) said that it would definitely support the new shape of Pakistan’s agriculture sector as it would focus on transforming farming methods in Pakistan with a view to optimising agricultural output for improving domestic food security and creating exportable surplus for the Gulf states and China.
The GIS-based initiative, he noted, was aimed at utilisation of 22 million acres of uncultivated state land and improving modern agro-farming. Under LIMS, the government anticipates significant investments in agriculture from China and the Gulf.
“In a similar vein, it may be the first multifaceted strategy to simultaneously address pressing agricultural issues: developing food uncertainty, a flooding food and rural import bill and reducing send out the excess, Jawad said anticipating that the new plan’s success would significantly address the issues.
He also stressed the need of encouraging the utilisation of uncultivated state land to boost crop output, investing in swathes of wasteland to make them cultivable and also putting a stop to the encroachment of agricultural lands by sprawling housing schemes.
The LIMS initiative was only the first step and a lot was required to ensure food security and create exportable agricultural surplus, he concluded.
Marriyum inaugurates rehabilitation work of PBC Peshawar
PESHAWAR, Jul 11 (APP): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurganzeb on Tuesday inaugurated rehabilitation and renovation work of the building of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) Peshawar, including the Chagai Auditorium, which was ransacked during the May 9 vandalism, besides groundbreaking of a cinema.
Speaking on the occasion, she said as per the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the PBC building’s renovation work would be carried out on emergency basis as the government aimed to restore the infotainment and recreational facility for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The minister directed the PBC management to digitalize the archives, including musical record and sound tracks.
Earlier on her arrival along with Advisor to the Prime Minister Ameer Muqam at the PBC building, she was received by Secretary Information Sohail Ali Khan, PBC Director General Tahir Hassan, and employees of Radio Pakistan and Associated Press of Pakistan.
Sindh Minister for local bodies Sindh Syed Nasir Hussain Shah along with Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon sharing Sindhi Ajrak during visiting at KPC
High Commissioner Ghana, Eric Owusu Boateng rang the bell of hope with happy mood outside Governor House with Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori
High Commissioner Ghana, Eric Owusu Boateng calls on Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori at Governor House
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC)
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal at a dinner with representatives of Chinese companies working on CPEC projects. A cake was also cut to celebrate the successful completion of Decade of CPEC
