ISLAMABAD – The matter of Pakistan’s national airline, PIA, undergoing privatization has entered a crucial phase. The owners and experts of the companies participating in the privatization process have arrived at the Prime Minister’s House.
According to PIA sources, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will meet the delegation. A detailed briefing regarding the privatization process will also be provided during the meeting. Senior officials of PIA have also reached the Prime Minister’s House.
There are four companies participating in the final bidding for PIA: Fauji Fertilizer, Arif Habib, Younus Brothers, and Airblue. Sources indicate that the companies involved in the bidding had certain reservations, and the Prime Minister will personally discuss these concerns. PIA’s privatization is expected to take place in the third week of the current month, sources in National Carrier said.
During caretaker setup, the then PM Kakar directed Minister for Privatization Fawad Hasan Fawad to oversee the process of privatization of Pakistan International Airlines and complete it on a fast-track basis.
Chairing a meeting on matters related to PIA, the prime minister said process needed to be expedited urgently so as to provide a reliable service to the users and to raise the standards of the national flag carrier to match the global airline standards.
He directed all the relevant stakeholders to find an immediate solution to the matters related to the privatization.
During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on the progress of the privatization process of PIA. He also welcomed the new caretaker privatization minister Fawad Hasan Fawad to his team.
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