The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has cleared Systems Limited’s acquisition of SAA Services (Pvt) Ltd from British American Tobacco International Holdings (UK) Ltd, it said in a statement on Thursday.
The deal, executed under a share purchase agreement, was assessed under Phase I of the CCP’s merger review framework in line with the Competition Act, 2010.
SAA Services, a captive service provider within the British American Tobacco Group, offers IT and IT-enabled functions, including HR, finance, procurement, and digital technology exclusively to group companies. It does not cater to external customers in Pakistan or abroad.
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CCP noted that there is no overlap between SAA Services and Systems Limited in the domestic BPO market. While both operate in the IT and IT-enabled services space, their customer bases remain distinct, meaning the acquisition does not raise competition concerns.
The regulator said the transaction is expected to deliver strategic and economic benefits, enabling Systems Limited to draw on global expertise to improve service offerings in Pakistan.
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The move also aligns with national objectives of job creation, technology transfer, and digital transformation.
Accordingly, the CCP authorised the deal under Section 31(1)(d)(i) of the Competition Act, determining that it would not create or strengthen a dominant market position.
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