Business Desk 
Jan 10, 2025
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to remove the 18% GST on aircraft for Pakistan International Airline Company Limited (PIACL).
This decision will help clean up Rs45 billion of PIACL’s negative equity. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Privatisation was informed about this development.
The 5th meeting of the committee was held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Dr Farooq Sattar, senior leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). The committee discussed the Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and decided to defer it.
Furthermore, the committee decided to capitalise on the positive momentum generated by the IMF’s consent on key demands, opening up European routes, and avoiding further loss to the national exchequer. It also decided to go for a fresh Expression of Interest (EOI) at the earliest.
The meeting was attended by members of the National Assembly (MNAs) including Muhammad Usman Awaisi, Asia Naz Tanoli, Saba Sadiq, Nazir Ahmed Bhugio, Nouman Islam Shaikh, Khawaja Sheraz Mehmood, Mehboob Shah, Moulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, and officers from the privatisation ministry and SLICP.
Two MNAs, including Sehar Kamran and Arshad Abdullah Vohra, attended the meeting virtually.
During the meeting, a sub-committee of the Standing Committee on Privatisation was appointed under the supervision of MNA Sehar Kamran to assess the decline of PIACL.
The sub-committee comprises Khawaja Sheraz Mehmood, Saba Sadiq, and Asia Naz Tanoli, all MNAs expected to submit their report to the Standing Committee within 30 days.
