ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and the National Forensics Agency (NFA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance institutional cooperation and bring advanced forensic capabilities into competition law enforcement.
The MoU was signed at the CCP Headquarters in Islamabad in the presence of CCP Chairman Mr Farid Ahmad Tarar and NFA Director General Mr Jawad Ahmad Dogar. CCP Member Ms Bushra Naz Malik and senior officials from both organisations were also present at the ceremony.
In his welcome remarks, CCP Chairman Mr Farid Ahmad Tarar described the MoU as an important move towards deeper institutional collaboration. He said effective enforcement increasingly required reliable evidence, scientific analysis and specialised technical expertise, along with a strong legal framework and effective enforcement tools and techniques.
“This partnership will strengthen our investigative capabilities and enable the Commission to benefit from NFA’s forensic expertise,” he said.
Mr Tarar said forensic capacity had become more significant as commercial activities and evidence were increasingly shifting to the digital domain. He added that cooperation with the NFA would help the CCP deal more effectively with emerging challenges in competition enforcement, especially in investigations involving complex digital and electronic evidence.
Speaking on the occasion, NFA Director General Mr Jawad Ahmad Dogar called the CCP an important national institution, saying its work helped create a level playing field and protect the rights of citizens.
He also highlighted the evolution of the NFA and the specialised forensic capabilities developed by the agency. Mr Dogar reaffirmed the NFA’s commitment to providing its expertise and technical assistance to the CCP in support of this important national cause.
The DG NFA offered technical support to the CCP in digital, document and other forensic disciplines. He termed the MoU the start of a long-term institutional relationship between the two organisations.
Under the MoU, the CCP and NFA will set up a framework for cooperation in forensic examination, technical support and capacity building to strengthen the CCP’s investigative and enforcement capacity.
The collaboration will allow the Commission to use NFA’s specialised expertise and scientific capabilities in handling and analysing evidence. It will also support knowledge sharing, technical training and closer institutional coordination in areas linked to competition law enforcement.
