ISLAMABAD (Online) - Chairman Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Khalid Mirza has said a group of capitalists having vested interest inside and outside the parliament is out to serve its nefarious designs and establish its monopoly over the consumers through curtailment in the powers of the commission. Talking to editors and bureau chiefs at a reception hosted in their honour here Tuesday, Mirza said the CCP had not only been working to safeguard the rights of the consumers so far but it had ensured the protection of their rights by taking stern action against the strong nexus of capitalists in the fields of banking, fertilisers, cement, sugar, telecom, LPG and other sectors. It was beyond comprehension as to why a specific group sitting inside and outside the parliament wanted to slash powers of CCP, he questioned. This group of opportunists was very strong and affluent and it could not see the CCP functioning independently, he added. Throughout the world appeal against the decisions of Competition Commission is filed in appellate tribunal or Supreme Court (SC) but some invisible forces had mentioned the name of high court in place of SC in Competition Ordinance with the sole objective to weaken the CCP and impede its activities, he alleged. The word (SC) cannot be replaced by high court in any law or ordinance without adopting a specific method, he said, adding that through an executive order high court had been declared appellate court instead of SC which was against the Constitution. CCP had filed a petition in (SC) against this order whereby it had taken the plea that government could not slash the powers of SC in any way, he said. This group also wanted that the amount of fine collected by CCP be deposited in the national exchequer instead of commission fund, he added. But fiscal autonomy was imperative to maintain the autonomy of the Commission, he remarked. Responding to a question, he cautioned that if Competition Ordinance was not approved by senate till March, 28 or presidential ordinance was not re-promulgated in this connection, the commission would stand abolished. Functioning of CCP under existing laws was in the interest of nation, he underscored.