Interior Minister of State tells Senate that the proposed move from Karachi is an administrative decision, with around 77 percent of employees based outside the headquarters.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Friday said the proposed relocation of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) headquarters from Karachi to Islamabad was aimed at improving operational efficiency and reducing administrative expenses.

Responding to a Calling Attention Notice moved by Senators Syed Waqar Mehdi and Zamir Hussain Ghumro in the Senate, the minister rejected concerns that the proposal was motivated by provincial or regional considerations.

He said the proposal was being examined on technical and operational grounds, adding that PPL’s board had repeatedly raised concerns about the condition of its existing headquarters building and the need to vacate it.

Talal Chaudhry said approximately 77 percent of PPL employees were working at field locations and other offices and would not be affected by the proposed relocation. Only around 15 per cent of the workforce was based at the headquarters.

He argued that maintaining administrative facilities in both Karachi and Islamabad would increase operating costs and create an unnecessary financial burden.

The minister emphasised that PPL’s board and management should be allowed to make decisions according to the company’s operational requirements rather than provincial considerations.

He also highlighted PPL’s substantial assets in Balochistan and its operations in Sindh, maintaining that the proposed relocation would neither undermine any province’s interests nor adversely affect employees.

The minister reiterated that the proposal was an administrative and technical matter intended to improve efficiency.