ISLAMABAD (February 10 2005): The opposition senators on Wednesday warned of 'dire' repercussions of what they termed the government's blind and over-aggressive privatisation policy, as the House opened a debate on Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) sell-off after opposition and media men walkouts against the killing of two tribal journalists. Speaking at a motion moved to hold debate on KESC sell-off, the opposition members asked the government to 'rationalise' its privatisation policy and avoid selling 'strategic' institutions.

They called for an immediate reversal of the KESC privatisation decision, which according to them, was taken in a hurry without taking the Parliament into confidence.

The opposition legislatures saw the role of foreign funding agencies in the process including International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB), which they claimed, wanted to make Pakistan a 'honey market' for multinational companies.

The opposition show, however, received a setback when some of their colleagues put their weight behind the government's policy of disposing-off 'non-profitable' institutions quickly.

Initiating the debate, Leader of the Opposition Mian Raza Rabbani feared that the privatisation of a strategic unit like the KESC would put the country's integrity at stake, as it was responsible for power supply to some sensitive institutions including Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PEAC) plants and military premises in the city.

Raza also challenged the government's claim that it would be in a position to force the new management of the KESC for tariff rationalisation and keeping workers' jobs intact.

Quoting from a presentation given to Senate Standing Committee on Finance by the KESC management in which it was projected that it would be a profitable entity after 2007, Raza Rabbani contradicted the official position that the unit was sold as it was incurring huge losses.

Another Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Senator, Dr Safdar Abbasi was of the view that the units involved in utilities' production like electricity and directly linked with people must not be privatised. But, Awami National party (ANP) stalwart Ilyas Bilour defused the heat against the government, saying the policy of transferring non-profitable units was 'justified' in any case.

Amjad Abbas was quick to second Ilyas' point with an argument that the government was very right in privatising the unit, which had incurred Rs 3 billion losses during last three years.

Independent Senator Azam Swati emerged as another supporter of the KESC sell-off on the basis of its non-profitability, but called for a security of its workers' jobs.

PPPP's Rukhsana Zuberi demanded a clarification of the government's policy about selling those units in defence production, which were equally incurring losses.

"If the government can privatise non-profitable units from civilian set-up, then why not it can treat similar defence production institution in the same way?" asked the senator.

A further debate on the issue and a policy statement by Privatisation Minister, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh is expected on Thursday when the House would resume its sitting at 5:30 pm.

Earlier, the media persons staged a token walkout from press gallery against the Monday's killing of two journalists in Wana.

The combined opposition also joined the journalists in their protest and walked out of the House demanding of the government to form a judicial commission for holding an investigation into the matter.

The media persons came back to press galley when Information Minister Sheikh Rashid announced a compensation of Rs 0.2 million each for the families of the deceased journalists.

WAGE BOARD RESOLUTION: The House adopted a unanimous resolution asking the government for an early implementation of 7th Wage Board Award for newspaper employees. Almost all the members from both the treasury and opposition sides, who spoke on the resolution, put their weight behind the journalists' 'chronic' demand for the implementation of the award.

Responding to the resolution, the Information Minister disclosed that some of the newspaper owners were foiling efforts in this regard, but assured that the government was seriously thinking to link the release of official advertisements with the Award's implementation.

The House also suggested the formation of an opposition members' committee to pursue newspaper owners in order to reach at some sort of conclusion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005