ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Industries and Production on Thursday appointed a sub-committee that will focus on resolving the critical financial and administrative issues facing Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).

MNA Naz Baloch will be convener of the four-member sub-committee, which will include Abdul Hakeem Baloch, Muhammad Arshad Sahi and Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani. The committee members will also undertake a visit to the mill.

The terms of reference of the sub-committee are to `address the financial and administrative issues, particularly those related to employees and the operations of Pakistan Steel Mills`. The industries and production minister briefed a meeting of the Senate committee on the status of PSM and said the mill has a total landholding of 19,000 acres, of which 4,008 acres remain unutilised, while 305 acres have been illegally encroached.

The PSM chief financial officer informed the meeting that the federal government had invested Rs170 billion into PSM over the years to keep the mill operational.-Amin Ahmed