Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation into the controversial announcement of launching flights to Paris by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
This directive was shared by Deputy Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Senator Ishaq Dar during a Senate session focusing on a notice on privatization of PIA on Tuesday.
Senator Sherry Rehman expressed concern about the airline’s future and questioned whether the privatization plan had been canceled or was still underway. He also highlighted that, of PIA’s 34 aircraft, only 19 are operational, with the rest on the ground.
Rehman also criticized the Paris flight announcement, which she said sparked public ridicule, questioning the agency responsible for the announcement and the official who approved it.
The ad showed a PIA plane near the Eiffel Tower with the slogan “Here we go,” which she said misrepresented the airline’s intentions.
Ishaq Dar confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz had ordered an investigation into the matter, emphasizing the misleading nature of the campaign.
He addressed past issues with PIA’s image, mentioning that a statement by former minister Sarwar Khan had led to bans on PIA flights in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, following allegations of fake pilots.
He further stated that after this, a committee was formed under the PDM government and efforts to resolve the issue with the UK Foreign Secretary were successful.
About the airline’s fleet, Dar noted that 22 PIA aircraft are currently operational, while 11 are under repair. He confirmed that PIA would be privatized and that the government would work to involve Pakistan’s corporate sector in the process.
Dar also mentioned efforts to restore PIA flights to the UK, with a team expected to arrive at the end of January. He expressed hope that flights to the UK would resume in March or April.
He highlighted that the former minister’s statement had caused an annual loss of Rs87 billion and added that the cabinet had recommended an investigation into the matter. The statement, he claimed, had also damaged the reputation of Pakistani pilots.
