PM constitutes Dar-led body: Beleaguered PIA comes under sharp focus

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the incumbent government is heading towards a mechanism in which government’s work is only to do policy decisions and facilitate the investors.

While chairing a high level meeting in Lahore, the premier said that PIA will only progress if administrative experts run it professionally on the base of profit and loss. He added that PIA has potential to steer out from its loss.

Due to irresponsible statement of previous government PIA has lost its routes of Europe and America, he said, adding: “The incompetent ministers of previous government victimized the international investors including Chinese and Turkish investors.”

PIA generates Rs172bn revenue in 2022

During the meeting, the Prime Minister constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for re-structuring, reforms and restoration of Pakistan International Airlines. The committee will present its report and suggestions to federal cabinet after Eidul Azha.

On this occasion, Federal Minister for Railways and Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafique briefed the meeting about proposed roadmap and reforms for improvement in PIA.

The meeting was informed that airplanes in the fleet of PIA have to be increased from twenty-seven to forty-nine

Moreover, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday spoke to President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan and felicitated the government and the people of Turkiye on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Azha.

Reciprocating the prime minister’s sentiments, President Erdogan extended warm Eid greetings to the people of Pakistan.

The two leaders also reviewed bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkiye. They agreed that the 7th Session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) to be held in Islamabad would provide a leadership driven and forward oriented impetus to further strengthen the close fraternal relations between the two countries, especially in the economic domain.

“Pakistan-Turkiye relationship is underpinned by abiding bonds of religion, culture and history. Regular leadership level contact remains a defining feature of this strategic partnership,” it was further added. Furthermore, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore and discussed the country’s overall political situation, as well as, the matters pertaining to education and professional training.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023