LAHORE: The Punjab government has told the Lahore High Court (LHC) that it has closed down 16 out of 56 public sector companies established by the PML-N government and they are no longer operational.

A provincial law officer further told the court on Friday that the fate of 20 more public sector companies, including Punjab Saaf Pani Company, would be decided within three weeks.

Justice Shahid Karim directed the law officer to submit a report on the decision on remaining companies by the next hearing on June 16, observing that the court could not delay the matter further.

Earlier, representing the petitioner, Sheraz Zaka advocate stated that the government should be restrained from making political appointments in the public companies. He said the companies were exercising powers of local government in violation of the Constitution.

He also challenged the legitimacy of the companies and involvement of legislators in their affairs. He contended that according to Public Sector Companies Rules 2013, the legislators could not exercise their powers as chairmen of the public sector companies. He said the companies had been interfering in effective functioning of the local government affairs.

The 16 companies closed by the government included Biotechnology Company, Road Infrastructure Company, Board of Investment and Trade Company, Environment and Affluent Company, Culture and Outreach Company, Dairy Corporation, Meat Processing Company, Fundamental for Rehabilitation of Special Person Company, Coal Power Company, Renewable Energy Company, Working Woman Endowment Fund Company, Ravi Zone Development Company, Inland Water Transport Development Company, Faisalabad Environment Management Company, Technical and Vocational Education Training Development Company, Quaid-i-Azam Hydel Power Company, Quaid-i-Azam Wind Power Company, Lahore Water and Sanitation Company and Punjab Entertainment Company.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2019