Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced plans to privatize all state-owned enterprises (SOEs) except for those considered strategically important.
The decision was made during a meeting in Islamabad to review the Ministry of Privatization and Privatization Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed the government’s commitment to facilitating investors, stating that privatization would not only save taxpayers’ money but also improve service quality.
He instructed federal ministries to fully support the Privatization Commission and ordered the live broadcast of the privatization process for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The meeting also discussed the progress of privatization efforts, including the pre-qualification process for PIA and the potential privatization of power distribution companies. The Finance Minister directed ministries to classify SOEs for better governance.
Moreover, the Cabinet Committee on Privatization approved the privatization of 24 SOEs. Further discussions were held regarding the timing of privatization for each entity.
The government’s move towards privatization aims to streamline operations, attract investment, and improve the efficiency of state-owned enterprises.
