PSM privatization: NA body meeting postponed due to lack of quorum

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Industries and Production convened to take up an important agenda related to privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) was postponed due to lack of quorum after only two members, of over 18 members committee, appeared in the meeting.

The Ministry of Privatization documents revealed that the PSM transaction structure has been approved.

Memorandum and Articles of Association, resolution to incorporate new subsidiary has also been approved by the PSM Board of Directors on January 1, 2021, and valuation of core assets was also done on the same date.

Additionally, potential investors Soft Marketing started (meeting held with two Chinese investors) and meetings were also planned with Russian investors.

Scheme of arrangement, RSoQ and expression of interest (EOI) for investors and information memorandum were being drafted by the financial advisor.

In this backdrop, the meeting of the standing committee convened with heavy agenda of the PSM at 2:30 pm waited till half past three for the members to turn up, and committee could get briefing from officials of the Ministry of Industries, Privatization on matters related to the PSM but only two members showed up and lack of forum forced the committee chairman to cancel the meeting.

The agenda of the meeting included a comprehensive briefing by the Privatization Commission regarding the PSM privatization and its retrenchment plan.

The committee was also to discuss the issues; (i) PSM sacked employees remuneration package and proposed golden handshake policy; (b) evaluation of Assets of PSM; (c) pension payment to retired employees of the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).

Other agenda items of the meeting included working and performance of Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) as well as confirmation of minutes for the previous meeting and implementation of committee’s recommendation.

The committee was also to consider “the Export Processing Zones Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019” moved by a member and the Ministry of Law and Justice was requested to give its legal opinion on the proposed bill.

The meeting was also to take briefing on working and performance of EPZA.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021