ISLAMABAD: Reacting to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab governments’ interest in acquiring Pakistan International Airline (PIA), former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said there were no state-run airlines anywhere around globe.

“No government in world operates airlines,” Miftah said as he came down hard on provincial governments’ proposals to buy national carrier while speaking at private TV show.

Government’s latest attempt to privatise its struggling national airline fell flat after sole bidder, Blue World City, offered just Rs 10 billion for  60 percent stake in PIA against minimum asking price of Rs 85 billion-flatly refusing further negotiations.

Commenting on these developments, Miftah said that he didn’t know any province had an airline. “Province’s responsibility is to provide education, health and convenience to people,” he said regretting that provinces “Do not collect penny of tax but seek financial assistance from Centre”.

Responding to question regarding PIA privatisation fiasco, he claimed that it came with “Such pre-requisitions” which discouraged buyers.

Collapse of PIA’s privatisation comes as Pakistan faces mounting pressure from International Monetary Fund to reform its fiscal policies.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 04 2024

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