REFUND TO UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR PPL SHARES COMPLETED

Islamabad, August 3, 2004

The Privatisation Commission has confirmed that refunds in respect of unsuccessful applications for Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) shares have been completed through their accounts in the respective Banks branches where they filed their applicants. Unsuccessful applicants have been advised to check for refunds from their banks. Those who had applied through pay orders may collect their pay orders from the same banks where they had submitted their applications.

Subscription for PPL shares was held during July 19-22, 2004, which set a new historic record of participation, by the citizens of Pakistan as more than 755,000 applications worth Rs. 21 billion were received. Open balloting was held in the presence of media and the general public on August 04, 2004 to select 205,750 successful applicants. The government has realized proceeds of Rs.5.65 billion from this
Capital market transaction.

Processing of shares, both, physical as well as scripless, is continuing and delivery of physical share certificates as well as credit to CDC accounts of investors is expected to be completed in the last week of August 2004.

PPL is the fifth company after NBP, OGDCL, SSGC and PIAC whose shares were offered to the general public in line with the government's objective of' Privatisation for the People'. Preference was given to the small investors for 500 shares for transferring the benefits of privatisation to the common man and to broaden the shareholder base.

Formal listing of PPL shares at the stock exchanges is expected during September and will add significantly to market capitalization. PPL has already become one of the ighest traded stocks in the stock markets even though it is being traded on the provisional counter.