The government has extended the deadline for investors to submit Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the privatisation of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), giving local and international potential buyers two additional weeks to enter the process. The Privatization Commission said on Saturday that the deadline for submission of EoIs has been moved to September 21, 2026, from the previous deadline of Sept 7. The extension is intended to widen investor participation and make the transaction more competitive and transparent, the commission said.

Under the government's privatisation programme, investors are being invited to acquire 51 to 100 per cent of the share capital, along with management control, of three state-owned power distribution companies - Faisalabad Electric Supply Company, Gujranwala Electric Power Company and Iesco. The move comes as the government advances its plan to bring private-sector management into the power distribution sector, where chronic losses, power theft and weak recovery have weighed on the electricity system.

The commission said the revised timeline would provide prospective investors additional time to conduct due diligence, assess the company and prepare their EoIs. All other terms and conditions of the EoI process remain unchanged, it said.

Market experts have noted that inviting private investment into power distribution companies is a critical step towards stabilizing the energy sector and reducing the fiscal burden on the national exchequer. The successful completion of these transactions is expected to attract significant foreign direct investment and improve operational efficiency across the board.