Govt considering shutting down utility stores across country, says production ministry

The Ministry for Industries and Production (MoIP) secretary on Friday said that the government was considering shutting down all utility stores in the country.
During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production today, Senator Saifullah Niazi questioned whether the government would close utility stores in the country.

MoIP Secretary Saif Anjum replied that the government was considering shutting down the country’s utility stores, adding that work was in progress to transfer the employees of the utility stores to other institutions.
“Government wants to get out of non-essential businesses,” he said, adding that providing relief to utility stores eliminated the atmosphere for competition.
While speaking to the media, standing committee chairman Aon Abbas Buppi said that it was a “very sad day for the country”.
“When I asked them whether they had any plans for the employees [of the utility stores], the government did not have a plan for that,” Buppi said, adding that approximately 60,000 employees would be rendered out of jobs following the decision.
“It is not clear what would happen to thousands of employees,” he said. “This incompetent government can give nothing but unemployment.”