Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that “precious” government properties will be sold for better utilisation of funds on public welfare projects.
He warned that stern action would be initiated against officers found to be creating hurdles in the identification of non-utilised government-owned properties.
“The non-utilisation of government assets in an effective manner in the past had manifest criminal negligence,” he said.
Prime Minister Khan, during a meeting over the utilisation of numerous properties owned by different ministries and federal departments, directed the asset management committee, the relevant federal ministries, and the provincial governments to resolve all matters pertaining to the identified properties within a week, so that decision over their proper utilisation could be implemented.
Privatisation Commission Secretary Rizwan Malik apprised the meeting about the progress made in the proper utilisation of properties owned by different ministries and federal government departments and their possible privatisation.
He said that under the decisions of the federal cabinet, during the months of February to March, every ministry was tasked to identify at least three such properties.
In the first phase, different ministries had identified 32 such properties.
The secretary added that services of a financial adviser were hired in October to assess the value of these properties, and give a final shape to the future mechanism in this regard.
He said that marketing for these properties would be held at the Dubai Expo to invite overseas Pakistanis and other investors.
The prime minister said that the proper utilisation of these properties and lands, worth billions of rupees, which had been kept unused for years and spending of income generated from their use for public welfare and provision of basic facilities like schools, colleges, and hospitals, are the significant part of the government’s policy.
He observed that different federal departments and institutions had been running into annual losses despite having such precious assets.