DISCOs Sale Needs Provincial Approval: Senators Panel

Pakistan's power distribution companies, known as Discos, are facing scrutiny as a Senate committee warns the planned privatization process must halt until the Council of Common Interests (CCI) provides approval. The Senate Sub Committee on Devolution, chaired by Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro, expressed concerns that the Privatization Commission could face parliamentary action if it disregards the committee's instructions.

Ghumro emphasized that Discos perform functions within the provincial domain and cannot be addressed solely at the federal level. The committee believes these functions should either be formally authorized by provincial assemblies or transferred to the provinces. They also raised questions about the transparency of the broader privatization process, referencing previous controversies surrounding the sale of Pakistan Steel Mills and Pakistan International Airlines.

Ghumro called for provincial and CCI-related matters to be handled through the designated constitutional forum. The committee identified 24 ministries and organizations dealing with provincial or CCI matters for abolition and proposed reducing federal spending from Rs. 19 trillion to Rs. 13 trillion. They requested audited expenditure details from the Auditor General of Pakistan and Controller General of Accounts for the past 16 years, warning the total could exceed trillions of rupees.

The Cabinet Division informed the panel that their August 17 and September 8 meetings had already been forwarded to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.