ISLAMABAD: The government has not yet decided to sell 26 per cent shares of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), said Privatisation Commission Chairman Muhammad Zubair during a press conference.
“The government is yet to decide how much shares will be sold,” he said, adding that any decision will be taken in the interest of the country and the economy. He said the sale of government shares in the Allied Bank Limited (ABL) would be completed by Dec and in the case of Habib Bank by March next year. The commission has appointed lead managers and book runners for divesting the government’s residual shares in the ABL.
He said the privatisation process was proceeding successfully and better results would be achieved in the coming transactions. The divestment of 10 per cent of government shares in the OGDC will be reinitiated at an appropriate time.
The government has thrice missed the deadline to sell minimum 26% shares along with the management control and has set a fresh deadline of October next year to complete the deal. Under the $6.7-billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, the government is bound to sell 26% shares of the PIA to a strategic investor. But it is facing resistance from opposition parties, particularly the Pakistan Peoples Party, which is opposed to the privatisation of PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills.
