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Pakistan Steel Mills to evaluate land for Special Economic Zone under CPEC

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Karachi, 13th May 2017:  The Board of Directors of Pakistan Steel Mills has decided to ascertain the value of land to be given for Economic Zone under the garb of China Pakistan Economic Corridor and to prepare a business plan to revive the company and submit to the government.

The 390TH meeting of the Board of Directors of Pakistan Steel Mill was held on 12th May 2017 in Islamabad, presided by Engr. M. A. Jabbar Chairman of PSM Board. The agenda of the meeting included discussion and confirmation of minutes of previous BoD meeting and other items related to the business affairs of Pakistan Steel Mills.

The minutes of the previous Board meeting after thorough discussion with amendments were approved by the Board. Thereafter the minutes of the meeting of Board Business Development Committee meeting were taken up for discussion as to the need of improving the guidelines in respect of business development plan and its possible steering in the circumstances surrounded by earlier bailout packages which could not meet with the estimated expectations in revival of the mill towards objective of crossing the breakeven levels towards entering in profit zoning.

In view of PSM being enlisted for privatization for early harvest, the discussion also focused as to the need on simultaneous putting in efforts of finding solutions towards its likely rehabilitation and revival of operation of PSM including the mode and manner of financing and considering offers from parties in this respect.

The Board agreed to continue working on this business development plan by integrating the experiences of last bailout packages so that new factors and references by eliminating the reasons of past non-achievements of targets out of previous bailout packages are also well considered in development of the business plan. The previous experiences of non-achievements of targets of bailout packages are well considered in structuring the Resurgence of Pakistan Steel Mills Business Plan.

The Board also agreed that PSM should capitalize the position that it contributes a greater percentage number in the growth of large scale manufacturing growth number for manufacturing GDP, which may merit the considered view of developing business plan. It also took note that even SBP has also mentioned in its report that due to complete halt of operation in Pakistan Steel Mills, the LSM growth was recorded lower due to no contribution of manufacturing production by Pakistan Steel Mills. The Board after detailed discussion agreed to continue structuring the business development plan by considering the maximum available information and records with PSM by which PSM management had registered reasons for not meeting with the targets of previous bailout packages which has not only been badly perceived at large but also remains discouraging for any future government support in this respect. It was finally agreed that a sale-able comprehensive business development plan if is structured may carry the value addition for likely consideration of government of Pakistan.

The Board Committee constituted for National Industrial Park affairs NIP provided information through minuted position and as well as explained the reasons for its go slow to the resolution. After detailed discussion in the Board, the Board gave go ahead for earliest resolution of the issue by bench marking the price given by the financial advisors appointed by privatization commission in order to close this issue so that predictable economic activities are ensured for the investors in the National Industrial Park. The Board also desired for earliest resolution and closing of this pending issue with NIP.

The case faced by Pakistan Steel Mills in the Supreme Court of British Columbia was discussed in respect of M/s Sociedede-de-Fomento Industrial Private Limited v/s Pakistan Steel Mills Corporation Pvt Ltd. The Board authorized CEO in assistance of the finance department to take necessary steps in the interest of PSM in the most befitting manner in order to try to save interest of PSM as much as it would be possible through effective consultation and understanding of the ongoing and earlier issues in this respect.

The preservation of coke oven batteries and leaving of experts of M/s. Concord were also discussed and Board advised management that abundant caution should be taken by the PSM engineers and management in preserving the coke oven battery and as well as continue to engage with the foreign company to bring back their experts for continuing with the guarantee and ensuring the preservation of the most important installation of Pakistan Steel Mills in order to avoid any mishap.

The Board also discussed the establishment of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near Pakistan Steel Mills Karachi in context of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). After thorough discussion Board advised to get the land valuated on immediate basis so that the same can be offered for the purpose on earliest basis in order to activate the Special Economic Zone.

The other issues were related to possible activation of independent units of PSM for engagement with economic activities like steel fabrication for power sector and CPEC Sub-contracting and as well as the Board instructed management to examine the possibility of manufacturing coke from the present batteries by invoking competitive bidding process so that investors provide the raw material for value additions on the terms and condition to be agreed as the case be for win-win situation and as well as to  generate some liquidity by the available and operating units of Pakistan Steel Mills.

The Board also discussed the demand of management for hiring of security guards for the security of installations, for which Board advised management to engage people from the non operating units and from amongst the people who due to closure of the mill are available for performing the alternate duties. Meeting ended with vote of thanks.

Posted on: 2017-05-13T16:35:00+05:00