38 EOIs FOR MUSTEHKAM CEMENT LIMITED REFLECTS INVESTORS CONFIDENCE IN GOVT POLICIES-HAFEEZ SHAIKH

Islamabad, April 30, 2005

Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh Federal Minister for Privatisation & Investment while declaring the results of invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI) from prospective investors and business houses to privatise Mustehkam Cement Limited (MCL) through the sale of 85.29 % shares held by the holding company SCCP has said that the overwhelming response by 38 parties reflected the investors confidence in the government's economic and privatisation policies.

The Minister said that the country's privatisation program was heading forward satisfactorily and successfully to bring in private sector for fresh investment, expansion of the entities being offered and to enhance the production with better quality and efficiency. Our privatisation program was aimed at reviving the closed units, transmitting the benefits of privatisation to the common man through public offerings of GoP shares in Public Sector entities, improving the services and the products and to  generate more job opportunities in all the sectors of economy, he said.

The companies, which have submitted EOIs for Mustehkam Cement Company Limited include 4B Industries, Abdali Brothers, Afzal Motors, Al-Abbas Group of Companies, Ali Akbar Enterprises AGRO Division, Alloy Steel Company, AMTEX Pvt. Ltd, Asgharali Group, Balochistan Glass Ltd, Bestway Cement Ltd, BNP Grp, Dewan Mushtaq Group, ELIXIR Securities Pakistan, Fauji Cement Company, Fecto Cement Ltd, Ghazi Grp, Gulistan Group of Companies, Hunza Group of Companies, Imran Pasha (pvt) Ltd, Ittehad Steel, Kohinoor Oil Mills, Lucky Cement Ltd, Maple Leaf Cement Factory Ltd, National Group, Premimum Energy, Saif Telecom Ltd, Sapphire Group, Sarawak Clinker Sdn. Bhd, Sarhad Textile Mills Ltd, Shalimar Shoes Ltd, Silver Textile Factory, Subh-e-Noor, Swat Ceramics Company Pvt Ltd, The Petrosin Grp and Usman Enterprises.

MCL is a public limited company listed on the stock exchange. The original unit commenced its production in 1966, while the new unit started commercial production in 1981. The company produced Portland cement. The plant is located at Hattar, Haripur and has a rated capacity of 660,000 tons per annum. The unit holds approx. 445 acres of land, while the factory area is 146.3 acres. It was closed down in 1999 and employees were paid off GHS/VSS.