The lessons from UK privatization experience for privatization in Pakistan, from public sector enterprises to monopolistic utilities (the case of Pak Telecom)

The thesis examines privatization programmes worldwide, but with the particular reference to the UK, to establish different approaches to and modes of privatization to assess their relevance to socio-economic development in Pakistan. Within this focus, emphasis is given to the utilities privatization and a case study of telecommunications privatization is provided. The thesis draws establish general conclusions on preconditions and impacts from western privatization experiences, especially from the UK utilities programmes. It then identifies strategic options for the reform programmes for Pakistan utilities, particularly for Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation (Pak Telecom), by comparing the past experiences and present situations of both countries. From this examination, it is concluded that arguments for and against privatization generally and telecommunications particular have been over general and over prescriptive and it is argued that: a strategic contingency approach to privatization that takes account of economic, political, social and cultural variation, is necessary. Further more it is shown that Western models of privatization are unlikely to be feasible in the context of Pakistan Telecom and a tailored multiple modes approach (mixed model) to privatization is proposed, explored for that context.The thesis examines privatization programmes worldwide, but with the particular reference to the UK, to establish different approaches to and modes of privatization to assess their relevance to socio-economic development in Pakistan. Within this focus, emphasis is given to the utilities privatization and a case study of telecommunications privatization is provided. The thesis draws establish general conclusions on preconditions and impacts from western privatization experiences, especially from the UK utilities programmes. It then identifies strategic options for the reform programmes for Pakistan utilities, particularly for Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation (Pak Telecom), by comparing the past experiences and present situations of both countries. From this examination, it is concluded that arguments for and against privatization generally and telecommunications particular have been over general and over prescriptive and it is argued that: a strategic contingency approach to privatization that takes account of economic, political, social and cultural variation, is necessary. Further more it is shown that Western models of privatization are unlikely to be feasible in the context of Pakistan Telecom and a tailored multiple modes approach (mixed model) to privatization is proposed, explored for that context