By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) approved a total of 69 merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions during the fiscal year 2024-25, facilitating foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows of approximately $50 million.
These transactions spanned diverse sectors including food, finance, logistics, aerospace, media, and e-commerce, underscoring CCP’s critical role in promoting fair competition and enhancing investor confidence in Pakistan’s economy.
Prominent FDI transactions included a joint venture between NLC and DP World Logistics FZE, facilitated by SIFC, and the acquisition of Wemsol by Bazaar Technologies in the e-commerce sector. In agribusiness, Italy’s Euricom S.P.A. acquired 50% of Fatima Euricom Rice Mills. The media sector saw Berkeley Square Holding BV acquire 50% stakes in Ogilvy & Mather, Mindshare, and Soho Square Pakistan. Additionally, Saudi firm Wakeb Data Company acquired an 80% stake in drone technology company Woot Tech.
In addition to foreign investment transactions, CCP approved 64 domestic M&A deals across sectors such as retail, services, logistics, energy, food, and manufacturing. Sector-wise, 25 transactions occurred in industrial and manufacturing, 14 in energy and power, 13 in services, 11 in financial services, five in consumer goods and retail, and one in real estate.
Major domestic transactions included Asyad Holding’s acquisition of 77.42% shares in Shell Pakistan via UAE-based Wafi Energy, marking a key move in the energy sector. Alfalah Asset Management took over fund management rights from Faysal Asset Management, while Sapphire Fibres and Mindbridge jointly acquired Uch Power and Uch-II Power.
Other notable domestic transactions were PPR Holding A.S. acquiring full ownership of SadaPay Technologies, Nimir Industrial Chemicals acquiring assets of Procter & Gamble Pakistan, Naubahar Bottling Company acquiring bottling assets of JK Sugar Mills, and the merger of DWP Engineering Industries with Digital World Pakistan.
Additionally, during FY2024-25, CCP granted 38 conditional and time-bound exemptions under the Competition Act, 2010. These exemptions were awarded across multiple sectors including automotive, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, food & beverages, energy, logistics, telecommunications, banking & finance, tobacco, aviation, and packaging.
