ISLAMABAD: Eleven domestic and international investors have submitted Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to acquire between 51% and 100% of Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco), along with management control, the Privatisation Commission said on Friday.
The commission described the response as strong, with the deadline for submission of EOIs closing on August 21. However, most of the interested parties had already participated in the privatisation process for Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco).
Under the government’s revised rules, investors that qualify technically and financially for one distribution company can also participate in the bidding for the other two companies included in the first batch.
Among the new prospective bidders are Saudi Arabia’s Al Sharif Contracting and Commercial Development Company and a Pakistani group comprising AKD Securities, Fast Cables and Mughal Steel.
Other interested parties already participating in the Fesco process include Turkish companies Aktor Elektrik Enerji, Genvera Enerji and Cengiz Enerji Sanayii ve Ticaret.
Prominent Pakistani investors include Engro Energy, Sapphire Fibres, Hub Power Holdings, Shirazi Investments, Artistic Milliners and K-Electric.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali described the response as another important development in the government’s Disco privatisation programme. He said the level of interest reflected investor confidence in Pakistan’s electricity distribution sector and the government’s commitment to a transparent and competitive process.
The submitted EOIs and Statements of Qualification will now be assessed against the approved prequalification criteria. Investors meeting the requirements will proceed to the next stage of the transaction.
Gepco is one of three distribution companies included in Discos Batch-I, alongside Fesco and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco). The deadline for Iesco EOIs is September 7, while 12 prospective investors had submitted EOIs for Fesco by the August 7 deadline.
The privatisation drive has also raised questions over the government’s focus on relatively efficient distribution companies while several loss-making entities continue to record substantial losses.
According to figures presented in parliament by Power Minister Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) incurred distribution and transmission losses of Rs82 billion during fiscal year 2025-26, up from Rs52 billion a year earlier. Its loss ratio increased from 38.4% to 60.2%.
By comparison, Fesco recorded distribution losses of only around Rs1 billion.
Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) posted losses of Rs85 billion during the same period, compared with Rs87 billion the previous year. Its losses as a percentage of the total increased from 37.1% to 40.7%.
Gepco’s distribution and transmission losses stood at around Rs6 billion, equivalent to 10%, while Iesco recorded a loss of Rs2 billion, down from Rs5 billion a year earlier.
Sukkur Electric Power Company reported losses of Rs34 billion, or 38.5%, while Multan Electric Power Company posted losses of Rs6 billion, or 12.4%.
Hyderabad Electric Supply Company recorded losses of Rs20 billion, or 25.7%, while Lahore Electric Supply Company reported losses of Rs26 billion, or 12.2%, during the last fiscal year.
The figures highlight the contrast between the government’s priority to privatise relatively stronger distribution companies and the continuing financial problems of several loss-making power utilities.
