Business Desk 
May 27, 2025
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane prepares to take-off at Alama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore February 1, 2012. — Reuters
In the latest turn of events surrounding the privatisation of Pakistan's national flag carrier, the government has extended the deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest (EoI) to buy Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) until June 19, 2025.
With the original due date, June 3, fast approaching, the 15-day extension is supposed to provide a last-minute reprieve to investors willing to acquire one of the country's largest privatisations of state-backed entities over the past few years.
Citing a senior official from the Privatisation Commission, The News noted that all other terms remain unchanged with the new deadline in place.
With the extension attributed to Eid ul Adha 2025, which is likely to fall on June 6, it was outlined that the government is offering between 51% and 100% equity in PIA alongside management control.
It's worth noting that this move is part of the government's strategy to privatise the loss-making national carrier, reduce the fiscal deficit, improve state-run enterprises, and attract foreign investment.
These government-led efforts are said to be in line with reforms mutually agreed upon with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
To make PIA privatisation more appealing and a safer bet for investors, the government has also incentivised the deal by exempting GST on new aircraft and transferring PIA's debt off its balance sheet.
