Overview
- The Competition Commission of Pakistan approved the acquisition after a phase-I assessment conducted under the Competition Act, 2010.
- Eve Holdings RSC Limited will purchase all shares of First Women Bank Limited from the government and institutional holders including HBL, MCB, Allied Bank, NBP, and UBL.
- Regulators classified the deal as a conglomerate merger because the acquirer has no presence in Pakistan’s commercial banking market.
- The commission concluded the transaction is unlikely to create a dominant position or lessen competition, authorizing it to proceed under the privatisation process.
- Reporting highlights the deal as a milestone for the privatisation drive, with backers citing potential capital and modernization and critics warning about shifting control abroad.