What happened

According to a report by Dawn, the government has introduced legislation in the National Assembly to establish a unified entity called the Privatisation and Public-Private Partnership Commission (PPPPC). The proposal merges the existing Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A) and the Privatisation Commission into a single body. The bill amends the Privatisation Commission Ordinance 2000 and repeals the Public Private Partnership Authority Act 2017, formally dissolving the P3A once enacted. Specific voting schedules or implementation dates were not specified in the source; please check the official notice.

Key facts

  • The unified commission will be headed by incumbent chairman Muhammad Ali, with a reconstituted board featuring a majority of independent private-sector members, including at least two women directors.
  • The legislation grants legal and investigative immunity to current and former chairmen, secretaries, board members, staff, and consultants for acts performed in good faith, committing public funds for legal defense.
  • The organization will manage four non-lapsable funds: the privatisation fund, public contributory fund, viability gap fund, and PPP project development funds.
  • Government agencies will be required to provide project lists within 15 days of a written request, with failures referred to the concerned ministry or division.
  • Existing contracts signed by the P3A will transfer to the new commission without disadvantage to private parties, and P3A staff will be retained for up to six months or until their contracts end under equivalent terms.
  • PPP agreements will be designated as public documents, making copies available to interested parties in accordance with applicable laws.

Why it matters

According to Dawn, the decision was taken to remove overlapping functions and institutional duplication between the two separate bodies that previously mobilized private capital for public assets. The proposed legislation creates a single framework to advise on, appraise, structure, facilitate, and monitor public-private partnerships and state asset privatisations, while introducing standardized procedures for risk management, project pipelines, and dispute settlements.

📰 Read the Original Report

Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 26, 2026 · Photo by Joshua Fernandez on Unsplash