LAHORE: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warns those planning to lay their hands at the state-owned enterprises that his party, after coming into power, will declare all privatization agreements null and void.

“Those who are buying state-owned enterprises should beware that the PPP, after coming into power, shall declare all such sell-off decisions null and void,” he announced while holding video-link meetings with representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority and Pakistan International Airlines employees here on Thursday.

Representatives of the two bodies briefed him on the financial health of their respective institutions and likely impact of their privatization on the national economy and security.

They said the CAA earned Rs89 billion profit during the year despite the coronavirus outbreak.

The PPP leader said that Pakistan is our motherland and state institutions are its jewels and that he won’t allow the sale of his motherland’s jewels under any circumstances. He said the party would rather restore the workers’ shares in the state-run enterprises.

Referring to proposed privatization of the three major airports, he said these airports are also used by security agencies and feared that their handing over to private managements could jeopardize the national security.

“We will not allow Imran Khan to hand over valuable airport lands to his cronies,” he vowed.

He said it’s time for workers across Pakistan to unite against Imran Khan’s ‘fascist’ government. He said the global ban on PIA flights is due to incompetence of the government. He said Imran Khan’s aim is only to protect the interests of his business friends, but Pakistan’s assets are the property of the nation and the nation will protect its property.

Those who attended the meeting included CAA’s Union patron-in-chief Taimur Baig, chairman Ayaz Butt, president Naveed Kayani and general secretary Samiullah.

President of PIA People’s Unity Hidayatullah, SVP Muhammad Ashraf, VP Zameer Chandio and others were present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, Mr Bhutto-Zardari also met through video link PPP South Punjab leaders including Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood, Natasha Daultana, Mustafa Mahmood and Abdul Qadir Shaheen.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2020