Government Initiates LESCO, MEPCO Privatization

Islamabad, September 7, 2025, 08:07 PM PKT — The federal government has launched a bold move, initiating formal steps to privatize major electricity distribution companies, including the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) and the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO), as revealed in a report by The Express Tribune based on official documents from the Privatisation Commission. The Power Division has been tasked with delivering detailed records of assets, shareholdings, and property title transfers for Batch Two companies, with ownership transfers already underway and MEPCO aligning balance sheets and off-balance-sheet records, while its latest financial audit nears completion.

The commission demanded comprehensive data on immovable properties (legal status, revenue, ownership), a full asset inventory with valuations, and employee details—regular, contractual, daily-wage staff, service rules, pensioners, retirees, and pending dues—plus a breakdown of liabilities and receivables, including consumer debts. This privatization push aims to streamline operations, but its success hinges on transparency. Web context on privatization efforts shows past controversies, while posts found on X reflect concern mixed with skepticism—some question job security, others doubt efficiency gains. Critically, the narrative of “economic reform” may mask implementation risks—web data hints at past failures, and X sentiment suggests distrust in equitable outcomes, pointing to potential challenges.