Business Desk 
Dec 25, 2024
An image, showing a PIA passenger plane, taken through a glass panel, at Islamabad International Airport, Pakistan October 3, 2023. — Reuters
As the privatisation of the Pakistan International Airline has been in limbo for the past few months, it emerged on Tuesday that the national flag carrier plans to buy eight aircraft into its fleet next year.
The development comes amid the government's failure to sell off the major stake in the PIA owing to either understated bids or unfulfilled demands, as reported by The News.
The Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Aviation announced the inclusion of eight new planes in a meeting at the Islamabad International Airport presided by Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Babar.
“How many employees of the national airline have fled abroad in the last three years and what steps have been taken to ensure that the airline employees do not seek refuge abroad?” asked Barrister Aqeel Malik.
The barrister's query was responded to by Khurram Mushtaq, the acting CEO of PIA, stating that eight new 777 aircraft would be acquired and added to PIA's aircraft collection next year.
The acting CEO noted that the flights to European routes will shortly commence as the the European Union ban has been lifted following a four-year hiatus.
He also informed the committee that the airline's on-time performance was 90%.
