ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday gave his approval for induction of five new Boeing 777 jets into the fleet of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
He also stressed the need to make PIA a profitable entity and said all efforts should be made in this direction, with enhanced customer services, on time flight arrivals and departures with safety being the foremost priority.
The premier directed the PIA board members to hire experienced professionals to run the national flag carrier on commercial basis, ensuring profitability and revival of its past glory.
Prime Minister Sharif was chairing a meeting held here at the PM House to discuss the affairs of PIA.
Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Special Assistant to the PM Shujaat Azeem, Secretary Aviation Muhammad Ali Gardezi, DG Civil Aviation, Air Marshal (retd) Muhammad Yousaf and MD PIA Muhammad Junaid Yousaf attended the meeting.
During the meeting, it was also decided that PIA board members would discuss matters relating to the airline’s restructuring and revitalisation on a regular basis with the PM.
The premier was told that the national flag carrier was presently in the process of acquiring 11 A320 aircraft on lease with deliveries starting from June this year.
He was further informed that with additional five Boeing 777 jets, the PIA would be in a better position to offer enhanced services to its passengers, increase revenue, destinations, flight punctuality and reduced maintenance costs.
The prime minister said the government would encourage privatisation of the PIA through competitive and transparent process without preemptive downsizing.
He showed trust in the airline’s board of directors and lauded the competency of its members. There would be no interference in its matters and the government would extend full cooperation for streamlining the PIA, he added.
PM Sharif said the PIA was one of the country’s national pride and its efficiency and high quality service were its hallmark. It had also set examples for other airlines, he added.
However, now the PIA has become a cause for national embarrassment as its performance deteriorated at breath-taking pace over the past decade, said the premier. It was now neither efficient nor profitable, he added.
He pointed out that the PIA had incurred loss of around Rs183 billion last year. The service delivery was equally lamentable, he added.
The prime minister was apprised of PIA’s operations, including sales, marketing, engineering, cost cutting measures adopted and fleet planning.
From Internet News, Photos from copyright.
