The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is mulling over the privatisation of 10 more State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) including Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), two gas utility companies and Utility Stores Corporation (USC) amid slow progress.
Any entities put on this list would be an addition to dozen and a half entities that have already been selected for the purpose.
According to local media reports, ZTBL, and entity that can be privatised in the next phase, is the only specialised bank lending money to the agriculture sector.
The other entities that have been proposed for privatisation are Utility Stores Corporation, Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, Pakistan Expo Centres Private Limited, Pakistan Environment Planning and Architectural Consultants Private Limited, Overseas Employment Corporation Private Limited, National Investment Trust and National Engineering Services Pakistan Limited (NESPAK).
After holding meetings with the line ministries, the Ministry of Privatisation will present the list before the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation for its formal endorsement. Reportedly, this list was also presented before the last Cabinet Committee on SOEs meeting.
It may be noted here that the government has dropped Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from the list whereas the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) was added to the list again in June 2019 after being dropped earlier.