KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has once again vowed to foil attempts by the PML-N government to sell national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM). In a statement, he has asked the government to immediately shelve privatisation plans. PPP chairman was presiding over a meeting of party leaders at Bilawal House on Wednesday. Those who attended the meeting included PPP Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, general secretary Waqar Mehdi, former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani, PPP Karachi division president Saeed Ghani and Information Minister Syed Nasir Shah. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that PIA and PSM were owned by the people of Pakistan, “who won’t allow anyone to put these national assets under the hammer in a dubious manner through a ‘buy one and get one free’ package.” He further said that it was the height of dishonesty that a Prime Minister who was running his private airlines in profits, capturing the market and routes of the national carrier, was adamant to sell out PIA. Likewise, Nawaz Sharif and his family were running their personal steel mills in big profit at home and abroad , but were deliberately dragging Pakistan Steel Mills to the verge collapse to form their personal steel cartel. He said that PPP equally opposed the privatisation of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) facilities. PPP chairman asked the PPP leaders to raise their voice against the so-called privatisation of PIA, PSM and CAA at every forum and expressed complete solidarity with employees of these state corporations. He also directed Mian Raza Rabbani to contact and hold a meeting with all trade unions of the country to finalize the future course of action. Published in Daily Times, March 22th 2018.