ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: The ministry of industries and production has allowed the new management of the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) to carry out “necessary repair and maintenance work” to avoid any major breakdown.

Informed sources told Dawn on Thursday that the issue of much-talked about revamping, including expanding the mills’ capacity from 1.1 million tons to 1.3 million tons has been shelved. It might be considered after a review petition, filed by the government, was decided by the Supreme Court in the near future.

The mills’s management has been directed to utilize Rs1.5 billion funding already approved by the government to ensure smooth and safe functioning, especially by getting repaired the coke-oven battery and the steel converters.

The new management of the mills, headed by Major Gen (retd) Mohammad Javed, was also allowed to have the automation in the hot-strip mill along with expanding the jetty.

On being contacted, he confirmed that he would be undertaking repair and maintenance work which was urgently required.

He said he had met with Minister for Industries, Production and Special Initiatives Jahangir Khan Tareen and informed him about the affairs of the mills.