KARACHI, Dec 4: The privatisation spree is alarmingly minimising the state's welfare role and strengthening its repressive mechanism, which serves interests of multinational corporations, says a recent research report of Actionaid Pakistan.

The report titled ‘The politics of privatisation’ said the transfer of control of basic services from governments to private providers was a deliberate erosion of national sovereignty, human rights, and quality of people's lives.

The report added that the transfer of assets from peripheral states to international financial institutions lead to deepening poverty, increased discrimination and social exclusion of women and marginalised communities.

None of the advanced countries, the report says, achieved progress under free trade or with the withdrawal of state role form the economic space.

It said England transited from feudal to capitalist economy by controlling many foreign markets.

The US grew behind high protectionist walls. France was always a state socialism, while Germany became industrialised under state direction.

—PPI