Talk: ‘No harm in privatising loss-making bodies’

PIA, Pakistan Railways have become victims of nepotism, favoritism and political appointments, says the head of ACCA.

ISLAMABAD:

There is no harm if loss-making bodies are privatised by the government. It is not the government’s job to run corporations but to make legislations and policies dealing with public welfare.

This was said by head of the Association of Certified Charter Accountants (ACCA) Pakistan Arif Masood Mirza while talking to The Express Tribune, on the sidelines of the Vice Chancellors’ Forum on Tuesday. He said that the national flag-carrier Pakistan International Airlines, the Pakistan Railways and other loss-making bodies have become victims of nepotism, favoritism and political appointments.



“Billions have been lost by stuffing political appointees in these departments, which has pushed us far more behind in the internationally competitive world,” Mirza said.

“Nobody has been able to succeed in recovering the losses incurred by these institutions instead more and more taxpayers’ money was being pumped into them.”

He suggested that chief executives of board of directors of organisations should be appointed purely on merit and they should be held responsible for possible losses.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2013.