Pakistan government optimistic about PIA privatisation in second attempt

ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar expressed confidence on Thursday that the second attempt at privatising Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would attract better bids. Speaking during a National Assembly session, Tarar addressed concerns raised by former commerce minister Naveed Qamar regarding the previous unsuccessful privatisation attempt.

Qamar questioned the timeline for the privatisation process and emphasised the need for careful planning to ensure its success. In response, Minister Tarar assured that the government was hopeful for a more favourable outcome this time, citing the recent restoration of PIA’s routes to Europe as a positive development. “We expect better bids and a more favourable outcome,” he stated, adding that lessons learnt from past setbacks had been incorporated into the current plan.

Tarar also noted that the term of PIA’s former CEO, Aamir Hayat, had ended, and he had been reassigned to his parent department. The minister highlighted that only a few countries around the world maintain state-run airlines, suggesting that privatisation may better align Pakistan’s airline industry with global practices.