ISLAMABAD, October 26, 2026: The federal government has introduced legislation in the National Assembly proposing to merge two major institutions responsible for privatisation and public-private partnerships into a single commission.
The proposed Privatisation and Public-Private Partnership Commission would combine the functions of the Privatisation Commission and the Public-Private Partnership Authority.
The government says the restructuring is intended to reduce overlapping responsibilities and streamline the handling of state asset sales and projects involving private investment.
The bill proposes amendments to the Privatisation Commission Ordinance, 2000, and the Public Private Partnership Authority Act, 2017.
A significant provision concerns legal protections for serving and former officials, including chairpersons, secretaries, board members and consultants.
According to the proposed legislation, protections would apply to certain actions undertaken in good faith, with public funds potentially used to defend eligible officials in related proceedings.
The provision is likely to attract scrutiny because privatisation decisions involve substantial public assets, government contracts and questions of institutional accountability.
Supporters of consolidation may argue that a unified authority could improve coordination and reduce administrative delays. However, the effectiveness of the proposed structure would depend on its oversight arrangements and implementation.
The bill has been introduced for parliamentary consideration. The merger and proposed legal protections have not yet become law.