Pakistan declares NHA, WAPDA and Pakistan Post as essential SOEs

Pakistan has declared National Highway Authority, Pakistan Post, and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) as essential state owned enterprises (SOEs). It means that these enterprises will not be privatized, and will continue to operate under the government.

This was decided in a meeting of Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs) chaired by Finance Minister Mohammad Aurungzeb on Thursday.

Ministry of Communications presented a proposal regarding the categorization of the National Highway Authority (NHA) as an essential State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) due to NHA's critical role in implementing government policies with significant security, social, and economic impacts.

On the recommendation of Ministry of Water Resources, the committee decided to categorize WAPDA as an essential SOE. It was further directed that WAPDA align its governing act in consonance with the SOEs Act. Pakistan Post Office Department (PPOD) is also declared a strategic and essential (SOE).

Ministry of Defence proposed to categorize Defence Production Establishments, including entities like Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW), National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), and Telephone Industries of Pakistan (TIP).

These establishments are engaged in national security and defence-related activities that fulfil the operational requirements of the armed forces. The proposal was approved for further submission to the cabinet for final approval.

Based on a proposal by Ministry of Energy (Power Division), the Cabinet Committee approved the nominations, thereby reconstituting the boards of Central Power Purchasing Agency Guarantee Ltd (CPPA-G), Power Planning and Monitoring Company (PPMC), and Power Information Technology Company (PITC).