PIA may resume flights to EU in six months: Aviation Minister
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Aviation Khawaja Saad
Rafique on Monday expressed confidence that the Pakistan International
Airlines (PIA) would be able to resume flights to EU within six months.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said the Turkish
Airlines was taking Pakistani passengers to Europe.
Khawaja Saad Rafique criticized his predecessor for causing
loss to the tune of billions of rupees by raising the issue of fake qualifications
of pilots.
The Minister said, “Those with fake degrees cannot be given
death penalty”. He said not all of them were fake degree holders. “There will
be a few [people] with fake degrees, you cannot treat them all equally,” he
added.
Rafique also took the opportunity to request the pilots who
were leaving the PIA for other airlines to stay, saying that they would request
the finance ministry to simplify taxes for pilots.
The minister said that unfortunately, the state airline had
touched the final limits of decline.
He remarked that it had been 10 years since the VIP lounge
was upgraded, and they were now upgrading international and domestic lounges in
Karachi.
He said that three more aircraft on lease were going to join
the national flag carrier’s fleet.