ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet has reportedly turned down sale of Services International Hotel (SIH) on the basis of proposed height and directed Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) to review its decision, well informed sources told Business Recorder.
The government had approved reserve price of Rs2.250 billion for the land and building of Services International Hotel (SIH), Lahore.
Financial Advisers (FA) conducted the legal work with due diligence and transaction structure was approved by CCoP in August, 2020. Thereafter, six interested parties were pre-qualified in December 2020.
The financial advisers presented the valuation of the SIH property as follows: (i) Hamid Mukhtar & Company presented the market value of land at Rs2,776,250,000 at a price of Rs 150,000,000 per Kanal whereas the proposed value of residual land was 2,362,000,000 on the basis of Rs 150,000,000 per Kanal; (ii) Excel Services & Engineering (Pvt) Ltd also calculated market value of land at Rs2,276,250,000 on the basis of Rs 150,000,000 per Kanal; however, the value of residual land was calculated at Rs 2,220,472,126 on the basis of Rs146,000,000 per Kanal; (iii) Arch-e-Decon calculated value of land at Rs 2,198,780, 000 on the basis of Rs 145,000,000 per Kanal, while value of residual land was calculated at Rs 2,382,923,474 on the basis of Rs 157,000,000 per Kanal; (iv) Financial Advisors (Colliers & Elixir) presented total value of Rs2,108,000,000 on the basis of Rs139,000,000 per Kanal; however, price of residual land was calculated at Rs 2,097,013,763 on the basis of Rs 138,200,000 per Kanal.
Lahore’s Services International Hotel auctioned for over Rs1.951 bn
The average value of land was Rs 2,214,820,000 on the basis of Rs 146,000,000 per Kanal whereas residual value of land was calculated at Rs 2,265,602,341 on the basis of Rs 147,800,000 per Kanal; (v) Hamid Mukhtar & Company presented total value of land and building at Rs 2,311,272,000, Excel Services & Engineering (Pvt) Ltd at Rs 2,326,300,000, and (vi) Arch-e-Decon, Rs 2,246,705,000 and Financial Advisors (Colliers & Elixir) valued land and building at Rs 2,145,540,000.
The average value of land and building has been calculated at Rs 2,257.454,250.
The sources said, after detailed deliberations, the Board of Privatisation Commission (PC) unanimously recommended the reserve price of Rs. 2,250,000,000/- (Rs 2.250 billion) i.e. Rs. 148,319,050 per Kanal, for the Sale of Services International Hotel, Lahore (SIH) excluding the inventory items.
According to sources, the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation also approved the same price recommended by the PC Board.
The sources said, there were only two parties that submitted the bids, of which the bid of one party was less than the reference price, which was considered as non-responsive. The CCoP approved sale of hotel to a party which some Cabinet members argued was not fair.
On September 21, when the minutes of CCoP were presented for ratification, the Cabinet did not approve the transaction and directed CCoP to review its decision.
When contacted, PC spokesperson confirmed that the Cabinet has asked CCoP to review its decision.
“The allowed height for SIH came under discussion (245 feet allowed). Some members of cabinet questioned it due to which it was decided to discuss and debate the facts once more in CCoP,” the spokesperson added.
Last month, the PC Board after consideration of auction proceedings, approved the successful/ highest bidder, i.e., Faisal Town Pvt Ltd, Islamabad along with the bid price of Rs 1,951,718,500/- and recommended the same price for seeking approval of the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation of the Cabinet which accorded approval.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
Comments
Comments are closed.