ISLAMABAD: The board of the Privatisation Commission on Friday took key decisions on major transactions and recommended that Islamabad International Airport be included in the privatisation programme and that fresh expressions of interest (EoIs) be invited to appoint a financial adviser.

The board meeting, chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation and Privatisation Commission Chairman Muh­ammad Ali, also recommended proceeding with a concession model through an open, competitive process, after the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Tran­sactions (CCoIGCT) ruled out a government-to-government mode on Jan 1. The board also authorised the Privatisation Commission to engage in direct negotiations with the ADB for its appointment as financial adviser for the airport transaction.

According to a press release, the decision to invite fresh EoIs was taken to ensure a “more robust and competitive process” after the number of interested parties narrowed from seven to two following legal and technical compliance screening under the prescribed criteria.

The board also recommended termination of the negotiated sale process for a 51 per cent shareholding in House Building Finance Company Ltd (HBFCL).

The Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company (PMRCL) was the sole bidder and offered Rs4.2 billion against a reference price of Rs13.55bn approved by the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation. The board recommended that the HBFCL privatisation process be initiated afresh with the appointment of a new financial adviser. In addition, the board approved the formation of a transaction committee for the privatisation of Hesco and Sepco.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2026