April 7, 2006	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 8, 1427

ISLAMABAD, April 6: The pre-qualification process of the investors interested in buying Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Company Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) is expected to be completed by the end of the current month.

Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Federal Minister for Privatization and Investment, has directed the concerned officials to submit a realistic framework to ensure timely completion of the sell off transactions.

Privatization Commission (PC) had received 34 Statements of Qualification (SoQs) for pre-qualification purposes from the strategic investors to divest 51 per cent shareholding in SNGPL and SSGC.

Since most of the parties have expressed their interest for both the companies, therefore, the PC has decided not to allow any one party to acquire both the gas companies. However, one party may participate in the privatization process for the both.

For each company 17 SoQs have been received. The major players include: British Petroleum, Shell Gas and Power, PTT Thailand, Enbridge Canada, MOL Hungary, Mitsui Japan, Hanover USA, Tara Energy USA, Calik Energy Turkey, Premier Oil London, Bestway UK, Burhan Oil Services Kuwait, Abu Dhabi Group, Korea Gas etc. Some of these preferred to participate on their own.

The process of evaluation of the SoQs has already begun and is likely to be completed by the end of this month. Therefore, the qualified bidders will be allowed to conduct their due diligence after the process.

Marketing efforts of the PC for privatization of the two Sui gas companies have generated tremendous interest amongst the international investors in these transactions. Earlier the PC had conducted two road shows in Singapore and London led by Dr Abdul Hafiz Shaikh, the former Minister for Privatization and Investment.

The SoQs received for SNGPL include: 1) MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas PLc; 2) Warid WLL/Abu Dhabi Group; 3) United Bank Limited; 4) Dawood Hercules Chemicals Limited; 5) PTT Public Company Limited; 6) MCB Limited and Associates/ Adamjee Insurance Company, Nishat Mills Limited, DG Khan Cement Company Limited; 7) Fauji Foundation; 8) Bestway Group (England); 9) Pakarab Fertilizers (Pvt) Limited/ Fatima Group, Arif Habib Group, Sojitz Corporation (Japan); 10) Dana Gas PJSC/Aljomaih Group UAE, Crescent Petroleum Company International Limited, UAE; 11) Noor Financial Investment Company (Kuwait)/National Industries Group; 12) Global Investment House (“GIH”) Middle East/KOGAS), Jahangir Siddiqui and Company Limited; 13) Al-Ghurair Investment LLC (“AGI”)/ Calik Energi A S; 14) ENBRIDGE (Canada); 15) Aref Investment Group KSC (Kuwait)/National Gas S A E (NATGAS), Egypt, Burhan Oil Services Company KSCC (BOS), Kuwait, 16 BP Gas Marketing Limited (BPGML), England; and 17) Premier Oil Plc, England.

The parties vying for SSGC include: 1) Warid WLL/Abu Dhabi Group; 2) Shell International Gas and Power Limited, UAE); 3) United Bank limited; 4) Dawood Hercules Chemicals) Limited; 5) (“SAPICO”)/Associated Group (“AG”), Lahore, The Hanover Company, Houston, (“KOGAS”); 6) PTT Public Company Limited (PTT) Thailand; 7) The Hub Power Company Limited/Mitsui and Co. Limited, Japan, Gas Malaysia SDN BHD (GMSB); 8) Fauji Foundation; 9) Bestway Group (England); 10) Pakarab Fertilizers (Pvt) Limited/ Fatima Group, Arif Habib Group, Sojitz Corporation (Japan); 11) Dana Gas PJSC/ Aljomaih Group UAE, Crescent Petroleum Company International Limited, UAE; 12) Noor Financial Investment Company (Kuwait)/National/ Industries Group (Parent Company); 13) Global Investment House (GIH) Middle East/ Jahangir Siddiqui and Company Limited; 14) ENBRIDGE (Canada); 15) Aref Investment Group KSC (Kuwait)/National Gas SAE (NATGAS), Egypt, Burhan Oil Services Company KSCC (BOS), Kuwait; 16) BP Gas Marketing Limited (BPGML), England; and 17) Tara Energy, Inc, USA/Sutton Ventures Group.