The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has formally approved Systems Limited’s acquisition of SAA Services (Pvt) Ltd, a captive IT arm of British American Tobacco (BAT). The deal—executed under a Share Purchase Agreement—was scrutinized under Phase I of the CCP’s merger assessment framework under the Competition Act, 2010. The Commission determined that the acquisition does not raise anti‑competitive concerns because SAA’s operations are confined exclusively to serving BAT group entities and have no external clientele.
“While both operate in the IT and IT‑enabled services space, their customer bases are distinct, and the acquisition does not create or strengthen a dominant position in the domestic BPO market,” noted the CCP in its clearance decision. With this authorization, Systems Limited gains access to SAA’s specialized HR, finance, procurement, and digital technology functions. Systems sees this move as a leap in building scale, integrating global best practices, and enriching its service portfolio for clients in Pakistan.
In public notices, leadership commented that the acquisition aligns with national goals of job creation, technology transfer, and accelerating digital transformation. Analysts believe the combination will allow Systems to tap deeper expertise from BAT’s global operations and cross‑leverage capabilities across local clients. With regulatory clearance secured, Systems Limited plans to integrate SAA’s teams, align operations, preserve service quality, and unlock synergies. The move marks a strategic milestone in Pakistan’s domestic tech consolidation, offering a pathway toward building IT services that can compete across borders.
