PC BOARD BEING EXPANDED TO MAKE PRIVATISATION PROCESS TOTALLY TRANSPARENT-Senator Waqar

Islamabad, December 24, 2009

The Board of Privatisation Commission is being expanded to make privatisation process of State owned Entities (SoEs) totally transparent and upto the satisfaction of all stakeholders. Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan Federal Minister for Privatisation said in an interview with a foreign-based wire news agency here today.

The expanded Board will also comprise of members of National assembly and Senate as well eminent persons of judiciary, media, business & industry, professionals and bankers.

Referring to the pace of the privatisation process, the Minister said that we don’t believe in discounting our assets in haste, as we would offer transactions on future value with value addition through management skills and investments.

Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan further stated that the government believed that the economic stability was subject to political stability and we have made progress in this direction through resolving long due National Finance Commission (NFC) award, disbursing royalties to the provinces, unanimous decisions for Balochistan package and successful army operation against terrorism.

Pakistan has sufficient room for the local as well as foreign investors for expansion in the energy and power sectors while Communication, Livestock and food areas were also open for value addition, he added.

Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan said that it was due to the economic policies of the government that not even a single bank collapsed in Pakistan during the recent global financial crisis.