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ISLAMABAD: The Privatisation Commission on Tuesday invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from local and international investors for the much-delayed sale of the country’s most viable electricity distribution companies (Discos).
According to the EoI notice, separate submissions are required for each Disco. The deadline for Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) is July 7; for Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco), August 6; and for Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Sept 7.
The three are considered the most viable Discos among the 11 electricity distribution companies originally carved out of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) in 1998.
The divestment aimed to improve service quality through private-sector management practices. The plan was supposed to be completed within five years but failed to take off over the following three decades.
Seeks bids for Fesco, Gepco, Iesco with deadlines from July to Sept
The transaction offers investors an opportunity to acquire between 51pc and 100pc shareholding, along with management control, in each of the three distribution companies.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader economic reform agenda to improve efficiency, strengthen service delivery, attract foreign and domestic investment, and promote sustainable growth in Pakistan’s power sector, the commission said.
The three Discos collectively serve more than 14 million consumers across major industrial, commercial and urban centres of Punjab, the Islamabad region, and parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
These Discos operate extensive electricity distribution networks that cover key economic corridors and are strategically important assets within Pakistan’s energy landscape.
The commission said the process would be undertaken in a transparent, competitive and investor-friendly manner in accordance with international best practices.
Interested parties may participate individually or as part of a consortium, subject to the qualification criteria outlined in the Request for Statement of Qualification (RSOQ) documents.
An online investor briefing will also be conducted jointly by the commission and the financial adviser to highlight investment opportunities, transaction structure, and procedural requirements for interested investors.
The commission will engage with potential investors and power sector stakeholders to refine the existing Disco tariff structure, the multi-year tariff (MYT) regime, the business model, and the framework for competitive suppliers.
The proposed reforms aim to create a performance- and efficiency-based return regime while enabling private-sector buyers to leverage Disco’s infrastructure and customer base for additional business opportunities.
Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2026
