Dar Orders PNSC Restructuring Plan, Reviews Austerity
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has ordered a PNSC restructuring plan and reviewed the government’s austerity drive in two separate meetings in Islamabad on Friday.
Dar chaired a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The committee reviewed progress on earlier decisions, with a focus on expenditure management and resource conservation across ministries and divisions.
The foreign minister said sustained follow-through and close coordination were essential to achieving the aims of the government’s austerity drive. He called for continued efforts to reduce avoidable expenditure and improve administrative efficiency.
He also stressed that every relevant institution shared responsibility for turning the measures into lasting savings.
PNSC restructuring: a new roadmap for shipping
In a separate meeting, Dar reviewed proposals to restructure the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation. The discussion centred on turning the state-owned shipping line into a competitive, commercially viable and globally recognised maritime entity.
Participants also reviewed plans to improve operational efficiency and bring corporate governance in line with international best practice.
Dar said the restructuring must be anchored in professionalism and aligned with global standards. He directed the authorities to engage world-class shipping and financial consultants to draw up a forward-looking roadmap.
The roadmap should aim to maximise commercial returns, strengthen Pakistan’s maritime trade logistics and safeguard national economic interests, he said.
The meeting was attended by the federal minister for maritime affairs, the maritime affairs secretary and senior officials from relevant ministries and departments. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa also attended.
Austerity drive: who attended the review
The austerity meeting drew a wide group of officials. The minister for information technology and telecommunication attended, along with Tariq Bajwa and the secretaries of the Cabinet, Law and Justice, Information and Broadcasting, and Federal Education and Professional Training.
Senior representatives from all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan also attended, along with officials from relevant ministries.
The Foreign Office said the committee took stock of ongoing work on the austerity measures. The review covered how ministries and divisions have applied the earlier decisions on spending cuts and conservation.
Why the PNSC plan matters
The PNSC is Pakistan’s national shipping line, and it carries only a small share of the country’s seaborne trade. Most cargo moves on foreign-flagged vessels, which means freight payments flow out of the country. A stronger national carrier would keep more of that spending at home and give Pakistan more control over its trade routes.
That is why the government wants a commercial roadmap rather than a simple administrative reshuffle. The consultants will need to show how the corporation can earn more, run its fleet better and compete with private shipping lines.
The austerity review points in the same direction. The government has been pressing ministries to cut avoidable spending and use resources better. Provinces are running parallel drives, including a Cabinet Committee on Austerity in Sindh that has pushed government departments towards electric vehicles.
The two meetings also show how the government is pairing spending cuts with reform of state-owned firms. Petrol prices were cut again this week, which eased pressure on household budgets, while Pakistan sought more LNG cargoes for the winter to keep energy supplies steady.
Remittances from overseas Pakistanis have nearly covered the trade deficit, which gives the government room to press ahead with structural changes such as the PNSC plan.
No timeline has been announced for the consultants’ roadmap, and the government has not said when the restructuring will take effect. The next step is the appointment of the shipping and financial consultants Dar directed officials to engage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the PNSC?
The Pakistan National Shipping Corporation is the state-owned national shipping line. It carries cargo by sea for Pakistan’s trade.
What did Dar order on the PNSC?
He directed officials to engage world-class shipping and financial consultants to draw up a roadmap to make the PNSC competitive, commercially viable and globally recognised.
What did the austerity meeting review?
The committee reviewed progress on earlier austerity decisions, focusing on expenditure management and resource conservation across ministries and divisions.
Who attended the meetings?
The austerity meeting included the IT minister, Tariq Bajwa, federal secretaries and representatives from all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The PNSC meeting included the maritime affairs minister and secretary.
