Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service Limited (DPEBSL), incorporated in 1997 as an unlisted public limited company, is a pioneering operator in Pakistan’s organized intercity transportation sector. Originally established as a subsidiary of Daewoo Corporation, South Korea, the Company was later acquired by Sammi Corporation in 2007 and subsequently by Asia Pak Investments Limited in 2011, which now oversees its diversified growth. Leveraging technical legacy from its South Korean origins and strategic direction from its current ownership, DPEBSL has evolved into a vertically integrated transport and logistics enterprise. Since commencing operations in 1998, it has expanded from a structured intercity bus service to a multi-vertical platform comprising a fleet of over 400 intercity buses, more than 600 intracity buses operating across major mass transit systems in Punjab, KPK, and Sindh, and a logistics division, Daewoo FastEx, managing around 200 cargo trucks and 200+ delivery centers. The Company maintains a dominant presence in regulated mass transit projects, handling nearly 70% of such awards nationwide, including Lahore Feeder, Multan Metro, Karachi BRT, and Peshawar BRT systems. Its operational portfolio has further diversified with the establishment of the Daewoo Waste Management Division under the Suthra Punjab Initiative, covering 22 tehsils with technology-enabled oversight, real-time fleet and workforce management, and a KPI-linked monitoring and payment framework, reinforcing DPEBSL’s reputation for compliance, operational discipline, and service standardization.

Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service Limited’s ownership is predominantly held by Liberty Daharki Power Ltd. (95.47%), ultimately controlled by Mr. Shaheryar Arshad Chishty through his wholly owned entity, AsiaPak Investments Ltd., with the remaining 4.53% held by Mr. Sohail Elahi. The Company has experienced several ownership transitions since inception, with the most recent occurring in 2011 when AsiaPak Investments Ltd. acquired it from Sammi Corporation, Korea; ownership has since remained stable and concentrated under Mr. Chishty, though a formally documented succession plan would further reinforce long-term stability. Mr. Chishty, the primary sponsor, brings extensive business acumen as a seasoned investment banker and entrepreneur with leadership experience across global institutions and successful ventures in energy, transportation, logistics, and real estate. His financial strength is underscored by a diversified investment portfolio, including significant stakes in K-Electric, Thar Coal Block-1, various IPPs, and Bol Network, providing strong financial depth and potential support to the Company when required.

Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service Limited is governed by a seven-member Board comprising four non-executive directors, including one female director, and three executive directors, with the primary sponsor, Mr. Shaheryar Arshad Chishty, serving as both an executive director and Chairman. The Board members bring extensive professional expertise from diverse sectors: Mr. Chishty is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and an experienced global investment banker and entrepreneur; Mr. Yong Hee Lee has over three decades of executive leadership, including serving as CEO of Sammi Corporation, South Korea; and Mr. Darin Daniel Baur, a Harvard Law School graduate, has held senior roles at leading investment banks across Canada, Hong Kong, and the USA. The Board meets at least quarterly according to a structured agenda, with management presenting detailed reviews of each business segment, while minutes and action points are formally documented and followed through. Governance effectiveness is further supported by two committees, the Audit Committee and the Human Resource Committee, which oversee risk management, internal controls, and HR policies. The Company maintains strong financial transparency, with M/S Yousuf Adil Chartered Accountants, a QCR-rated firm in the SBP’s ‘A’ category, serving as external auditors and issuing an unqualified opinion on the 2024 financial statements, reflecting compliance with applicable accounting standards.

Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service Limited’s management team is led by CEO Syed Mazhar Iqbal, a Fellow Chartered Accountant with over 40 years of diversified experience, including senior leadership roles at Pioneer Cement, Haleeb Foods, and Fast Cables. The Executive Chairman, Mr. Faisal Ahmed Siddiqui, holds an MBA from Columbia University and brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, financial analysis, and operations, supported by prior roles in financial modelling at Convoy Solutions LLC (USA) and fixed-income structuring and trading at Credit Suisse. The management team is further strengthened by experienced professionals such as CFO Mr. Anwer Shamim, a Chartered Accountant with substantial financial management expertise. A clearly defined organizational structure, complemented by an Operational Committee comprising department heads, enhances coordination and supports effective decision-making. The Company utilizes Oracle ERP as its primary MIS platform, improving transactional accuracy and reporting quality, and operates a dedicated e-ticketing system to streamline customer services. A strong control environment is maintained through a structured risk assessment and mitigation framework and an independent in-house internal audit function reporting directly to the Board’s Audit Committee, ensuring effective oversight and continuous improvement in internal controls.

Pakistan’s transport sector remains a major contributor to the national economy, with the intercity bus segment characterized by intense competition from both large organized operators and numerous small players, while the logistics sector increasingly prioritizes technology-enabled, reliable, and competitively priced services; in contrast, competition in the regulated O&M mass transit segment is limited to a few capable operators such as DPEBSL and Veda Transit Solutions. Within this landscape, DPEBSL has established a strong relative position, operating over 400 intercity buses serving 6.5 million passengers annually, maintaining a leading presence as the third-largest logistics provider with 200+ cargo trucks, and holding a dominant ~70% share in the regulated mass transit segment through seven of ten operational projects. The Company has further diversified into municipal services, becoming the largest private operator in the Suthra Punjab initiative with responsibility for 22 tehsils. During CY25, DPEBSL reported revenues of ~PKR 46,728mln, reflecting ~79.3% YoY growth driven by tariff rationalization, scaling of new contracts, and a continued push into waste management and diversified revenue streams, which helped reduce reliance on cyclical passenger transport and enhanced revenue stability. Margins showed resilience, with gross profit improving to ~19.6% (CY24: 17.1%), while operating and net profit margins stood at ~15.0% and ~4.6%, respectively, supported by scale efficiencies and disciplined cost management. Looking ahead, the Company remains well-positioned in the regulated segment, though a focused medium-term strategy will be essential to drive volumetric growth in the intercity bus transit segment.

The Company’s financial risk profile reflects a lean yet slightly lengthened working capital cycle, with Net Working Capital Days rising to ~28 days in CY25 from ~12 days in CY24, mainly due to a significant increase in trade receivables to PKR 9,287mln linked to higher invoicing under long-term contracts ; trade payables remained stable at ~20 days; short-term trade leverage moderated to ~39.3% (9MCY25: ~64.9%), and liquidity remains manageable with a current ratio of 1.4x. Coverage metrics strengthened on the back of improved earnings, with EBITDA increasing to PKR ~8,524mln and EBITDA-to-finance cost coverage improving to 7.5x, while FCFO rose to PKR 5,208mln, maintaining the FCFO-to-finance cost ratio at 4.6x and lowering the Debt Payback Ratio to 1.9x, signalling stronger debt-servicing capacity. Capitalization remains moderate, with total borrowings increasing to PKR ~10,554mln (CY24: ~5,021mln) due to expansion-driven financing, raising the leverage ratio to ~44.3%; however, equity strengthened to PKR ~13,276mln through profit retention, providing comfort to the overall capital structure. A larger portion of the debt book is now composed of short-term loans (27.8%) to manage increased working capital needs.  Post issuance of the proposed PKR 4,000mln Sukuk, the Company’s total leverage is expected to increase to approximately ~52%.

Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service Limited (DPEBSL) is set to issue its second Rated, Secured, Privately Placed, Short-Term sukuk-II of PKR 4,000 million (inclusive of a Green Shoe Option of up to PKR 2,000 million), marking a strategic financial move for the Company. The Sukuk carries a markup at 6MK+2.5% with a tenor of six months. The repayment of principal and markup will be done in a bullet upon maturity. The purpose of the instrument is to finance receivables related to the waste management project and meet immediate working capital requirement.

The underlying instrument will be secured by a ranking charge over the Company’s current assets, including receivables with 25% margin.

The Issuer shall maintain and efficiently manage Debt Payment Account (DPA) under lien of Investment Agent whereby the first payment equivalent to PKR 1,000 million shall be made on or before 21 days before the maturity date, second payment on or before 15 days, third payment on or before 7 days, and last fourth payment on or before 2 days before the maturity of the Issue. Such that amount equivalent to full issue is available in the DPA 02 days before the maturity date, as presented in the table below: