The Senate Standing Committee on Privatisation will examine annual balance sheets of all those public sector entities which are put on list of privatisation. Senator Mir Muhammad Yousaf Badini chaired the meeting of the committee. In his ruling, he said the committee would allow the government to privatise all the eight public sector entities after determining their financial health. "The committee will permit the government to privatise the entities if they are running into losses," he added.

The committee also sought criteria adopted in appointments of Members of Privatisation Commission Board made by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. The committee members also expressed their displeasure over privatisation of Federal Lodges situated in Murree. These lodges had been privatised in 1999. The committee opined that these lodges were providing accommodations to the government officials. The committee also sought details of privatisation of the lodges in the next meeting.

The members committee also expressed their dissatisfaction over the briefing given by the Privatisation Commission. The Commission was directed to present a detailed report on privatisation programme in the light of observations and objections raised by the members during the Friday's (today) briefing.

On transactions of privatisation of public sector enterprises held in the last 20 years by the federal government, the committee was informed that privatised entities including banks, insurance firms, oil and gas companies and others are running into profit.

The committee was further informed that Privatisation Commission has set criteria for monitoring of privatised entities till five years after their privatisation.

Senator Robina Khalid requested the committee to seek details of problems being faced by the employees of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) after the privatisation of the entity.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019