SC revokes orders against PIA privatisation

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) Thursday revoked orders against privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

SC constitutional bench headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din heard the plea. In his arguments before the SC constitutional bench, the additional attorney general of Pakistan said the appointment of new professionals in PIA was halted due to privatisation process.

After a lower bid, the government is planning a second attempt for the privatisation of PIA as the restriction on flight operations in Europe is also lifted now, he added.

To this juncture, the SC bench head remarked: “Now the government might get a good rate in the privatisation process.”

Justice Mandokhail, another member of the bench, remarked the SC ordered to go for PIA privatisation after taking them into confidence.

Later, the court revoked its order against privatisation.

Read more: Loss-making PIA to ‘consider’ salary raise of employees

The government of Pakistan is trying to sale the PIA but the first attempt failed as it received only one bid of Rs10 bln. The government while rejecting the bid forwarded matter of the privatisation to the cabinet again.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Privatization, Aleem Khan held the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) responsible for the failed Pakistan International Airlines sale.

This he stated while expressing his views in the Senate Standing Committee on Privatization, which met under the chair of Senator Talal Chaudhry in Islamabad.

The meeting discussed the reasons behind the lower bid for PIA sale. Aleem Khan said the process of PIA privataization started on November 28, 2023, before he assumed charged as the privatization minister.