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PAC questions privatising strategic assets

By Shahzad Raza

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday directed the government to keep in mind security issues while privatising the country’s strategic assets.

The committee also asked government officials why the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) was privatised despite earning huge profits for the country. Held under the chairmanship of Malik Allah Yar Khan, the PAC discussed audit objections in the accounts of the Ministry of Information Technology (IT), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB).

Declaring PTCL a strategic asset to the country, PAC member Liaqat Baloch said the government must ensure security while privatising such assets.

He said people were concerned about security issues that might appear after PTCL’s privatisation.

IT Secretary Khalid Saeed said the government’s privatisation policy followed specific law but said he was not in a position to comment on the policy. PTA Chairman Shahzada Alam Malik said the government had ensured that PTCL’s privatisation would not create any security implications for the country. He said all necessary arrangements had been made to address security concerns.

The PAC was informed that PTCL’s new management would be asked to fulfil all contractual agreements the existing management had signed with other companies.

The IT secretary said that Sohail Shahid, the former PSEB managing director, was involved in misuse of power and other illegal activities because of which he was sacked and fined. He said a corruption case had not been initiated against Shahid as he had gone abroad.

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