Sources revealed on Sunday that the government has informed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the privatization of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is unlikely to be concluded before the upcoming general elections.
Ongoing technical discussions between the government and the IMF delegation have already covered topics such as tax collection, and the matter of SOE privatization was also addressed in recent talks. The government assured the IMF that it is actively working on advancing the privatization process.
Specifically, the government updated the IMF on the progress of privatization plans for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), indicating that it is expected to be completed by the end of February next year. However, the government conveyed that no further privatizations are anticipated before the upcoming elections.
The list of companies earmarked for privatization shared with the IMF, comprises 27 entities, including four financial institutes, four real estate institutions, 14 entities related to the power industry, four industrial sector companies, and one aviation company (PIA). Additionally, all 10 distribution companies (DISCOs) are on the list, along with power plants such as Haveli Bahadur, Balloki, Guddu, and Nandipur. Other entities include the House Building Finance Corporation, First Women Bank, Pakistan Engineering Company, and Sindh Engineering Limited.
Sindh Minister’s Brother Tragically Killed in Train Accident
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the younger brother of Mir Khuda Bakhsh Marri, the Caretaker Minister for Mines and Mineral Development in Sindh, met a tragic end after being struck by a train in Karachi’s Steel Town area.
The police confirmed the victim’s identity as Muhammad Hassan Marri, and his body was subsequently transferred to the hospital for a post-mortem examination. Police sources revealed that Marri was walking along the railway track with hands-free in his ears when he was hit by an approaching train.
According to eyewitnesses, Marri was grazing goats, while the police said that they were also investigating the other aspects of the incident. A spokesperson for the minister conveyed that the funeral prayers for Marri are scheduled for 10 am the following day (Monday) in Malir, Karachi.
