The Privatisation Commission has extended the deadline for submission of Expressions of Interest for private sector participation in the privatisation of Islamabad Electric Supply Company Limited IESCO to September 21, giving local and international investors additional time to participate in the process.
The Privatisation Commission Government of Pakistan announced the extension with the stated objective of facilitating prospective investors and ensuring greater competition and transparency in the IESCO privatisation process.
According to the Privatisation Commission, “The extension has been granted to facilitate interested local and international investors and ensure a more competitive and transparent privatisation process.”
The revised deadline for submission of EOI for IESCO has been fixed as September 21, 2026, at 4:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time.
The extension comes as the government moves ahead with its broader programme for private sector participation in the management and ownership of power distribution companies.
Under the privatisation programme, “the Government of Pakistan is seeking private sector participation through the acquisition of 51% to 100% of the share capital, together with management control,” in three power distribution companies, namely Faisalabad Electric Supply Company FESCO, Gujranwala Electric Power Company GEPCO and Islamabad Electric Supply Company IESCO.
The decision to extend the IESCO EOI deadline is expected to provide prospective investors with additional time to examine the opportunity, complete their due diligence and prepare their submissions before the revised deadline.
The Privatisation Commission said that “the extension is aimed at providing prospective investors additional time to complete their due diligence and submit their EOIs, thereby supporting a competitive investor participation process.”
IESCO is among the three power distribution companies being offered for private sector participation under the government’s ongoing power sector privatisation programme.
The proposed transaction involves the acquisition of a controlling stake along with management control, with the government allowing private sector investors to acquire between 51% and 100% of the company’s share capital.
The Privatisation Commission has also clarified that the extension does not alter the existing framework of the EOI process.
“All other terms and conditions of the EOI process shall remain unchanged,” the commission said.
The revised deadline means interested parties now have additional time to undertake the required assessment of IESCO and submit their Expressions of Interest in accordance with the prescribed requirements.
The commission said interested parties may obtain further information and access the relevant EOI documents through the Privatisation Commission’s official website.
The extension is being viewed as an effort to broaden investor participation and create a more competitive process for the proposed privatisation of IESCO. The move also provides potential local and international investors with additional time to assess the company before making a formal decision to participate.
The IESCO transaction is part of the government’s wider strategy to bring private sector participation into the power distribution sector through the proposed transfer of significant shareholding and management control of selected distribution companies.
With the revised deadline now set for September 21, prospective investors will have additional time to complete their due diligence and submit their EOIs, setting the stage for the next phase of the IESCO privatisation process.