Utility store outlets reopen across Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Utility Stores Corporation’s outlets reopened across Pakistan on Friday after they remain shut for over two weeks as the federal government had announced to shut the loss-making state enterprise, which prompted thousands of employees to take to the streets.

Earlier, Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain had clarified that the utility stores were not being closed, but the government was “restructuring” the entity.

According to Utility Stores Corporation spokesperson, all outlets have been fully reopened across the country to facilitate the public at large.

The spokesperson said that the utility store outlets were now offering standard grocery items including soft drinks and cooking oil at discounted rates.

On August 23, the federal government decided to close all utility store outlets across the country, and its administration was directed to cease its operations within a period of two weeks.

The USC, a state-owned enterprise, operates over 4,000 outlets across Pakistan, providing daily used commodities to the public at discounted rates. It is among the federal government’s listed entities up for privatisation.

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The closure of utility store outlets was also raised during the Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production meeting earlier, where Industries and Production Secretary Saif Anjum said that the matter was being discussed by the cabinet. He had clarified that the government had not yet decided on its complete closure or devolution to the provinces.