Govt reaffirms commitment to mobilising private capital through PPPs & privatisation

Business Recorder reported that the government has reaffirmed its plan to draw more private sector involvement into the economy through public-private partnerships and privatisation. The pledge was restated on Friday at a National Strategic Dialogue held in Islamabad, where the Pakistan PPP Monitor was also launched. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali and ADB Vice President Yingming Yang addressed the event.

Aurangzeb argued that the private sector should drive the next stage of growth, and said the government is building a pipeline of investable opportunities. Muhammad Ali contended that public spending alone cannot meet infrastructure requirements and described PPPs and privatisation as complementary rather than rival tools. Yang said well-structured PPPs can support limited public resources, bring in private efficiency and improve services for citizens.

According to the Pakistan PPP Monitor, 154 PPP projects have reached financial close since the 1990s, worth nearly $36 billion. The current federal pipeline stands at 38 projects valued at about $6.5 billion, spanning road, rail, aviation, health and industrial infrastructure. Separately, a 27-transaction privatisation programme includes electricity distribution firms, larger airports, insurers and specialised lenders.