Sell-off plan remains stalled

The government''s privatization programme remains stalled and the newly created Ministry of Privatization has been without a minister and permanent federal secretary subsequent to the elevation of former Chairman Privatization Commission Mohammad Zubair as Governor Sindh on February 2, 2017. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi allotted the portfolio of Federal Minister for Privatization to Daniyal Aziz, however, a notification in this regard is yet to be issued by the Cabinet Division even though Aziz was administered the oath 20 days ago.
Aziz, a key member of Maryam Nawaz''s media team and the most vocal in defending the disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was sworn in as Federal Minister for Privatization on August 10, 2017, but he has not yet taken charge of the Ministry, with the official notification of his appointment still pending. Sources stated that there are two privatization transactions in the pipeline notably SME Bank and Mari Petroleum however there has been no progress visible in this regard leading to conclusion that their privatization has been shelved.
Sources in the Ministry told Business Recorder that it is unclear whether the government does not want Daniyal Aziz to head the Ministry or whether he himself wants a portfolio with an active agenda. Daniyal Aziz was not available for comments. Business Recorder also tried to contact Minister for Information and Broadcasting Maryyum Aurangzeb but she was also unavailable for comments. "The Privatization Ministry is not only without a minister, but is also without a permanent secretary, as additional charge of the ministry of privatization was given to Secretary Information and Broadcasting Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera," an official of the Ministry of Privatization said.
He said that the ministry without a minister and secretary indicates low priority of the government for carrying out the transactions of privatization on the agenda. The sources further said that a proposal for appointment of a chairman of Privatization Division would be moved by the Federal Minister for Privatization once he assumes charge which is possible only after a notification on his appointment is issued.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqaan Abbasi after assuming the office created several new ministries with Privatization Commission one of them; he renamed it Ministry of Privatization with one constituent Privatization Division. The Ministry of Privatization has been taken out of the administrative control of Finance Division and given the status of an independent Ministry.