LAHORE, Oct 4: Pakistan’s top businessman Mian Mohammad Mansha on Friday renewed his call for privatising the public sector enterprises (PSEs), in general, and power generation and distribution companies, in particular, “rationalising” energy and fuel prices, and cutting the size of the government to pull the economy out of its troubles.

’

He rejected the view that hydel power generation was cheap.

He challenged the claim that electricity produced from the proposed Bhasha Dam would cost just 16 paisa per unit.

“It will not cost less than Rs9-10. I am not against construction of dams or hydel power. But some people are deliberately misguiding the nation on the issue of cost of hydel power.”

Mian Mansha, who also has a big stake in power generation and advised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his economic team on its energy policy, was unhappy over allegations in the media that his power companies had benefited the most from government’s decision to pay unpaid bills of the power sector.

.

He was quite critical of what he called as irresponsible reporting and commentary (on the economic issues and against his businesses) by the media, wondering as to who would want to invest in such circumstances.

He said the uncalled for criticism was forcing business groups to start venturing into the media industry as an “insurance policy” (against hostile comments against them).

“Don’t force us to do this. Let us do our job,” he said, frustratingly.

“If media didn’t start acting responsibly, I would also have to think of breaking into this territory,” he said.

He also accused a provincial government (probably Sindh) of working against the Gaddani Coal Power project.