Islamabad, Feb 26: Minister for Industries Rana Tanveer Hussain has announced that Utility Stores will operate under a public-private partnership to curb financial losses and enhance efficiency. Addressing the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Industries and Production, he clarified that the government is not shutting down Utility Stores but restructuring them to ensure long-term sustainability.
He acknowledged the billions of rupees in losses faced by the organization, emphasizing that a new strategy is crucial to keeping it afloat. While assuring that the futures of permanent employees will be secured, he pointed out that even regular Utility Stores workers are not classified as government employees.
During the meeting, tensions arose over the absence of the Secretary of the Ministry of Industries and Production. Committee member Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto questioned why the secretary was missing while the chairman and other members were present. The committee also reviewed the ministry’s development budget proposals for the next fiscal year, revealing that despite an allocation of Rs. 4.91 billion in the last financial year, only Rs. 22.09 million had been utilized for development projects.
Frustration mounted when an executive engineer (XEN) from Pakistan Steel Mills was sent to brief the committee in place of ministry officials. This led to strong objections from committee members, with Abdul Hakim Baloch criticizing the absence of key officials and questioning how an XEN could represent the ministry in such an important discussion. He accused the ministry of prioritizing employee terminations over solving critical issues. The chairman of the committee announced that the Pakistan Steel Mills issue would also be addressed in future sessions.
Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain voiced his dissatisfaction with committee decisions being made without consulting the ministry. He urged for a more collaborative approach, stating that crucial matters should not be handled like a monarchy. Dismissing speculation about the closure of Utility Stores, he highlighted the need for reforms, noting that many small Utility Stores had been set up in single rooms across cities, making the business model unsustainable.
The committee resolved to summon representatives from Utility Stores and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to further discuss the matter. Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto reminded the minister of his previous assurance that the stores would not be shut down, yet now there were talks of layoffs. She insisted that, with proper management, Utility Stores could become a profitable institution. Referring to the expansion of these stores in local communities, she argued that the initiative was aligned with Bhutto’s vision of providing affordable essentials to the masses.
