Pakistan Prime Minister orders fast privatization of national carrier
Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to accelerate the privatization
of Pakistan International Airlines
(PIA), instructing that all stages of the process be completed with full
transparency.
Chairing a meeting on the airline’s divestment,
the prime minister called for a clear roadmap to increase the number of
airworthy aircraft and stressed the need to improve on-time performance and
overall operational efficiency.
Read More Privatizations of flag carriers in subcontinent: Challenges and Opportunities
The shortlisted bidders include:
·
Fauji Fertiliser Company Ltd
·
Air Blue (Pvt) Ltd
·
A consortium comprising Lucky Cement, Hub Power, Kohat Cement and Metro
Ventures
·
A consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation, with Fatima Fertiliser, City Schools, Lake City
Holdings, and recently joined by AKD Group Holdings
Officials also reported that PIA aims to
expand its operational fleet from 18 to 38 aircraft by 2029, with
plans to grow its network from over 30 cities to more than 40 destinations
in the same period.
Read More Privatization
Commission suggests tightening of criteria for PIA bidders
The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Adviser to the PM on Privatization Muhammad Ali, and other senior officials.
Separately,
the prime minister reviewed housing sector matters with Housing Minister Riaz
Hussain Pirzada and discussed the broader political situation in the country.
Source: Minute Mirror