KARACHI (May 17 2007): The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday adjourned the hearing till Friday, in a Rs 24 billion law suit preferred by the Attock Group of Companies, challenging their alleged exclusion from privatisation process of leading oil marketing firm in the country, Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

A single bench comprising Justice Mrs Qaiser Iqbal adjourned the proceedings after hearing the arguments of counsel for plaintiff, Khalid Anwer, advocate. The Privatisation Commission (PC) of Pakistan is likely to hold bidding for a 51 percent stake in the PSO on May 19. The PC board on April 5 decided to disqualify the plaintiff from participation in privatisation of the PSO and extended the date of bidding by two weeks from May 5 to May 19.

The plaintiff has sought from court to quash the PC's impugned order for its disqualification from participation in the PSO's privatisation process. They argued that they were entitled to participate in the bidding process in question and entitled to be treated on exactly the same basis and manners as all other bidders.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2007