Islamabad – Our Faux Pas Correspondent: The government on Saturday formally announced the decision to privatise former Minister Mushahid Ullah Khan.
“We are inviting Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the process,” said Zubair Umer, the minister of state for privatisation. “We are expecting eager bidders.”
Financial analysts saw the decision coming from some time.
“Look, it was bound to happen,” said Ayaz Ahmed, chief economist, XCC Securities. “Ever since Mushahid Ullah made that statement regarding the military intelligence guys organising the dharna, he became a toxic stock and it made sense for the government to divest itself.”
Trade analysts predict that the Muslim League legislator isn’t going to be bid for by the PTI, for obvious reasons. There are some chances that the PPP or even the ANP might be interested due to their anti-establishment profile, but there are also some legacy costs there as well, which might make him a hard sell, even for these parties.
“Don’t rule out the private, corporate sector wanting a division,” said Faiq Bhutta, Islamabad resident editor of Business Recorder. “There are reports that Fauji Fertiliser might be interested in his head, while Askari Cement might want to take apart his limbs.”
Mushahid Ullah Khan himself declined to comment, adding further that, “if only I could have stayed quiet even back then.”
