Dawn has reported that 3 members of the board of directors of Pakistan Steel Mills have resigned. Mr Tariq Sehgol, Mr Iqbal Khawaja and Mr Sohail Wajahat belonged to the corporate sector. The reason cited is interference by the government in the affairs of the mills.

In addition, 2 other members have retired. Mr Chaudhry Hafeez joint secretary of the ministry of industries and production has been transferred to the ministry of sports, culture and tourism while the former chairman of Pakistan Ordnance Factories Major General Mohammad Javed retired from the army.

The 11 member board was constituted on February 7th 2005 and is left with only 6 directors.

The report quoted some sources as saying that “The purpose of reconstituting the board was to improve the mills’ performance and to make sure that there will be regular commercial and external audits. But now when this board is not complete, it cannot hold any meeting and therefore cannot deliver.”