Attock Group challenges disqualification: MNA against PSO sell-off

Attock Group and Syed Fazal Shah Jeelani, MNA, have filed two separate petitions in Supreme Court, challenging disqualification and privatisation of Pakistan State Oil (PSO), respectively.
Attock Group moved the apex court against Sindh High Court's (SHC) orders of upholding Privatisation Commission's decision of its disqualification for PSO bidding. Attock Group pleaded that its disqualification for PSO bidding process was illegal and unlawful.
The petitioner prayed that SHC's decision be nullified and the Privatisation Commission be directed to include it in the bidding process. In a separate petition, Syed Fazal Shah Jeelani, MNA, said the PSO sell- off was against the national interest, as it will deprive the state of a national oil marketing company catering local demand in peace and war times.
The petitioner raised a number of issues relating to strategic importance of PSO and prayed that Privatisation Commission be refrained from privatising it. He gave a detail of the company's profits and outlets with a view that it was a profit-making entity with a promising future and its sale was a well-thought plan to risk supply of oil in the case of any emergency.