The government on Wednesday informed the National Assembly that Pakistan Petroleum, National Power Construction, and Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) would be privatised during next year. Minister for Privatisation Ghous Bux Khan Maher stated this during question hour in the House, saying that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has already approved the privatisation of the three entities.
He said Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) will also be privatised at an appropriate time, adding that at present the case of PSM was in the court of law and the market was also not favourable for its privatisation. The Minister said that there was no proposal under consideration to revisit the privatisation of PTCL, and the Privatisation Commission was not considering any future sale of government of Pakistan''s share in PTCL.
He told the House that the Privatisation Commission has paid Rs 15.264 billion to-date out of the total Rs 17. 429 billion under the agreement for PTCL employees on the voluntary premature retirement. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary for Narcotics Control Anayat Ali Shah informed the House that a master plan has been chalked out to control the use of drugs in the country. Under the plan, he said, all district headquarters hospitals would be having at least 120-bed ward, which would provide free of cost treatment and rehabilitation facilities to drug addicts.
He further said that the master plan would be implemented during the next five years. Additionally, he said, model addiction, treatment and rehabilitation centres have been set up in Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad, which are providing boarding and rehabilitation facilities to addicts. He said that negotiations were also underway with provinces for establishment of 25 bed hospitals in each district for free treatment of drug addicts.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, who was chairing the House, took notice of the absence of ministers from the question hour and asked PPP chief whip Khursheed Shah to bring the matter in the notice of the Prime Minister.