Business Desk 
Apr 22, 2025
The federal government has made a public announcement that it will issue Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from April 24.
PIA, the national carrier of Pakistan, has been struggling financially for years. In order to better its future, the government now intends to sell 51% to 100% of its stakes to local or foreign investors. Only serious and financially capable parties will be permitted to participate.
PIA privatisation
According to the Privatisation Commission, strict pre-qualification rules have been set. These include revenue benchmarks to make sure only capable investors move forward. Interested companies will get at least one month to submit their EOI.
Notably, the government has promised that the privatisation of PIA will not impact the rights of employees. Their jobs and service conditions will remain secure even after the airline is sold.
A detailed valuation of PIA's assets will be done by July 2025, while investor filtering will continue until September. The ultimate sale will be finalised by December 2025.
Moreover, this step is included in the "Clean PIA" plan. In this model, the government has already taken care of the airline's debts so that it becomes favourable to purchasers.
The recent resumption of PIA flights to Europe is also likely to generate investor interest, particularly from the Gulf States, Turkish Airlines, and other international players.
The PIA privatisation strategy has been officially sanctioned by the federal cabinet. Authorities expect this to improve the operations and services of the airline in new private hands.
