- Achakzai, Fazl suggest parliamentary body on PIA issue
Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Ishaq Dar on Monday informed the National Assembly that the ordinance was promulgated not for the privatization of PIA but to convert the national flag carrier into a corporate entity and make it a profitable and world class airline.
Giving a policy statement in the House, the minister said there would be no compromise on employees’ rights, besides no change in assets, liabilities, sovereign guarantee and shareholders etc of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Dar said that the government owned 85 per cent of its shares and it would be run under 1984 Companies Ordinance Act.
“The major objective to convert the PIA into a corporate entity is to set it free from the clutches of bureaucracy and government dictation which will help its Board of Directors to take flexible decisions,” he said.
Dar said that the PIA losses had reached to around Rs 300 billion and efforts were being made to restructure it. Under the restructuring plan, he said, the number of aircraft had been increased from 18 to 38 in last two years while two more were being inducted to the fleet.
He said currently, the in-time performance of PIA stood at 82 per cent owing to its restructuring. “Qartar Airline is considered to be the best airlines with 87 per cent in-time performance followed by Emirates Airlines with 84 per cent,” he said.
The minister said that the President had promulgated the ordinance under the law and constitution as the assembly was not in session.
Dar said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had always taken the opposition on board on all major issues, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Army Public School attack and legislations.
He asked the opposition to go through the ordinance as there was nothing regarding the privatization of PIA as it was aimed it to stop bleeding of the national asset.
Dar clarified that he always called for strategic partnership for PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills.
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman Monday suggested the government to form a parliamentary committee to look into the issue of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and resolve it amicably.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Achakzai said the PIA was a huge organization and its matter should not go unattended.
He said there should be a body comprising senators and members of the National Assembly having equal representation from all parliamentary parties to settle the issue of conversion of PIA from corporation to a company.
“Let the parliamentarians convince each other and we will honour the decision of the committee,” he added.
Fazl said although Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar had briefed the House in detail about facts and figures of PIA’s conversion into a company, but it would be better to solve the issue through a parliamentary committee.
Welcoming the suggestion of Achakzai and Fazl, the finance minister requested them to contact all political parties to get nominations for the proposed committee.
“The suggestion is practical, so they must fulfil national responsibility and contact all parties for getting nominations,” he added.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said he would also contact all political parties in this regard.
