ISLAMABAD    -   Prime Minister Sheh­baz Sharif Wednesday directed the authori­ties concerned to ac­celerate the privatisa­tion process of public sector enterprises rec­ommended by the Pri­vatisation Board.

The prime minis­ter while chairing a re­view meeting to dis­cuss privatisation said transparency must be the foremost priority in the privatisation pro­cess. In his remarks at the meeting, the prime minister said that the government encour­aged the privatisation of the PSEs. 

He directed to ac­complish the privati­sation of the PSEs rec­ommended by the Privatisation Board in a transparent manner and as per best inter­national practices. The meeting was at­tended by federal ministers Ishaq Dar and Engineer Khurram Dastgir, Advi­sor Ahad Cheema, State Minister Musa­dik Malik, SAPM Jahanzeb Khan, and oth­er relevant officers. Also, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, express­ing annoyance over the performance of the Special Technology Zones Authority, formed a committee to ensure revival of the STZA operations.

The prime minister, chairing a high-lev­el meeting on the STZA, said the commit­tee would be headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and comprise IT minister, law minister, Advisor Ahad Cheema, Senator Afnanullah and Chairman of the Capital Development Authority, a PM Office press release said.

He instructed the committee to present its recommendations within a week and also directed to immediately operation­alise the STZA’s board of governors which should consist of experts from the rele­vant field. The prime minister said any wastage of pubic resources would not be tolerated, adding Pakistani skilled youths were earning livelihood at their own while the relevant authority was lying dysfunctional. He said instead of invest­ing in real estate, the STZA’s real objective was to promote technology. No delay in the reformation and operationalisation of the STZA would be acceptable, he added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said that in its tenure, the Pakistan Muslim League-N in­troduced skill education to the youth with a view to enhance IT exports. During the COVID pandemic, hundreds of thousands of youngsters earned livelihood by using lap­tops given by the government, he remarked. In the briefing, the meeting was informed that 400 companies were registered with the STZA, out of 63% were from Pakistan and rest belonged to China, USA, Turkey and other countries. The participants of the meeting were also apprised of the issues re­garding the Authority’s Board of Governors.

The prime minister directed the STZA to ensure effective implementation of the measures for promotion of country’s IT exports. Federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Syed Aminul Haq, Advisor to PM Ahad Cheema, SAPM Jahanzeb Khan and other officers attend­ed the meeting.

Meanwhile, PM Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said public welfare and national progress were among the priorities of the federal government and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The prime minister was talking to for­mer members of the Provincial Assem­bly of Punjab, a PM Office Media Wing press release said. Former MPAs, includ­ing Rana Mashhood, Aneeza Fatima, Ra­hila Khadim Hussain and Rumesh Singh, separately called on the prime minis­ter. During meetings, the overall national and provincial political situation was dis­cussed.

‘TIMELY PROVISION OF LOANS TO YOUTH’

PM Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the government was ensuring the timely provision of loans for the employment of youth. He said thousands of the country’s capable youth were benefitting from the youth loan scheme recently launched by the government. 

The prime minister was talking to the founder of Akhuwat Foundation Amjad Saqib, who called on him here. 

During the meeting, Amjad Saqib ap­preciated the prime minister for the pro­vision of soft loans to the youth for em­ployment. Besides, he also briefed the prime minister about the provision of in­terest-free loans by the Akhuwat Foun­dation to the flood affected people. The prime minister said the government val­ued the provision of interest-free loans by the Akhuwat Foundation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day visit to Turkiye has been postponed due to engagement of the Turkish authorities in the ongoing relief and rescue operation in the earthquake affected areas. According to official sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled to depart for Turkiye on Wednesday from Lahore to express soli­darity with Turkish people and leadership. Shehbaz Sharif was also scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to share his grief over the loss of life. However, it was conveyed to Pakistan that the Turk­ish President is busy in personally super­vising relief and rescue operations and may not be able to host the Pakistani PM.