ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs) has delisted the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC) from the list of SOEs categorized for privatization.
According to a statement issued by the finance ministry on Wednesday, the committee took the decision on the request of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The information secretary briefed the forum that PTVC was currently undergoing massive restructuring in order to become a financially viable, professionally efficient and technically sound SOE that could help amplify the national narrative and formulate a favorable public opinion, read the statement.
The Ministry of Finance on the occasion presented a report on the ‘Triage of State SOEs’ before the committee, which, after detailed discussions, directed the officials concerned to streamline the existing privatization categories and present a roadmap before the committee at the earliest.
The forum further instructed the officials to utilize the interim period effectively and workout options for the restructuring of SOEs, including the possibility of management contracts, where applicable, and update the committee periodically.
The members agreed that the forensic audit of major loss-making SOEs should be conducted in accordance with the directives of the prime minister.
The finance secretary informed the committee that the auditor general’s office was on board and had started collecting data of loss-making SOEs, whereas several private sector firms had also shown interest in this regard.
The committee decided that the forensic audit task might be distributed among the private firm(s) and the Auditor General of Pakistan as per rules, keeping in view a large number of entities.
