ISLAMABAD: While approving transaction structure for the divestment of 96.6 percent shares of Heavy Electrical Complex (HEC), the Cabinet Committee on Privatization has directed the Ministry of Industries and Production for the amicable and earliest resolution of issues related to regular employees of the HEC.
The CCoP meeting presided over by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh also instructed the Power Division (Ministry of Energy) to consider extending the validity of type testing license of HMC
The CCoP also constituted a committee, chaired by Minister for Industries and Production with chairman Board of Investment, chairman Privatization Commission, secretary Finance, adviser to the prime minister on austerity and institutional reforms, and the SAPM on Energy as its members, for improving the transaction structure for the Pakistan Steel Mills Corporation in consultation with the appointed financial/transaction adviser for further incorporation of market requirements.
The CCoP also approved the recommendation of the Privatization Commission Board with regard to authorising the Chairman/Secretary of the Privatization Commission for allowing officers of the Commission to open, operate, and close accounts in scheduled banks for the execution of privatization transactions including other operations in compliance with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)'s guidelines.
The financial adviser appointed by the Privatization Commission (PC) for the sale of properties owned or controlled by the federal government also briefed the CCoP on the bid price for the auctioned properties, and sought guidelines for the remaining part of the transactions.
After the meeting was briefed, out of the 27 properties, the bid price for 23 has been received, the CCoP directed the FA to recommend a way forward on two unsold properties in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan. The committee also directed to engage the chief secretaries of KP and Punjab to resolve pending issues relating to two properties in Swat and Lahore.
The CCoP approved a model questionnaire that would help in gathering all the relevant information regarding the entity that has been approved for privatization, in order to smoothly conduct the process of privatization.
The committee also directed that all ministries/divisions and SOEs (having assets in the privatization list) will provide information required in the model questionnaire to the Privatization Commission within 30 days from the date such request reaches the ministry/division/SOE.
The CCoP also constituted a committee to look into various sectoral issues related to the Privatization of National Power Parks Management Company Limited.
The Committee will include Adviser Finance and Revenue, Minister for Privatization, Secretaries of Finance, Power and Petroleum Divisions, the SAPM on Energy and representatives of the Nepra as members, and will meet within a week to deliberate on the way forward.
The Committee will specify issues and set up guidelines for addressing all the pending issues with the relevant quarters.
The CCoP approved the transaction structure for the Privatization of the House Building Finance Company Limited.
The decision was already taken in the CCoP of August 21st 2020 but not ratified by the cabinet (for the want of some additional information regarding the profitability and other issues of the entity).
The Privatization Commission briefed the CCoP that if the transaction proceeds ahead, the new investor can bring in capital, operational expertise, capacity enhancement of the HBFCL and new product development, which would eventually enhance its profitability and market share in housing mortgage for middle- and low-income groups of the society.
The CCoP accepted the proposal for moving ahead with the transaction structure for divestment.
In order to fully comply with the requirements of Section 35 of the Privatization Commission Ordinance, 2000, the CCoP approved the guidelines for all concerned ministries/divisions to ensure that the management of public-sector enterprises, falling under the domain of the Privatization Commission, runs smoothly.
The guidelines direct all concerned to comply with the model checklist of the actions that may be taken/should not be taken by an enterprise on the privatization list, as well as other instructions issued by the Privatization Commission for each transaction from time to time. The CCoP directed to resolve all the issues concerning a PSE before the initiation of its privatization process and fully cooperate with the PC during the process and inclusion of the members of the Privatization Commission Board and other officers on the boards of representative PSEs borne on the privatization list, as deemed appropriate on recommendations of the PC Board.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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