Transparency in any multi-billion dollar deal will depend upon integrity and track record of men involved in negotiating such contracts. It was controversial Advisor on Petroleum to former President who tried to kickstart this project but then time ran out and the deal could not be secured.
If memory serves me right, it was during the last tenure of PM Nawaz Sharif that his handpicked Chairman PIA signed a unique deal in history of aviation when he purchased through Happy Minwala Boeing 747-300s from Cathay Pacific. It was only later revealed that the PIA had just bought aircraft hull with seats and four engines minus, for which airline was paying per hour rental for every flight. This by itself is unheard of in aviation except for aircraft sold as junk. Airline employees are also aware that had illegal takeover by Pervez Musharraf not gone through, PIA after being deliberately driven into red, was allegedly being bought by clique consisting of Saif-ur-Rahman, Nadir Chaudhry and Abbasi himself. Through collective plundering of PIA, the once pride of the nation and a national asset is today a liability.
ANEELA CHANDIO
Sukkur
