Daily Times

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said that his daughter and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz urged him to purchase the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and rebrand it as “Air Punjab”. “Maryam said that we should buy PIA and name it ‘Air Punjab’ after making it the best airline,” Nawaz said during a discussion in New York with party supporters. While speaking to the Pakistani community in New York, ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz stated that Maryam, who is also Punjab chief minister, suggested to him to buy the national flag carrier. He mentioned that he advised Maryam that she could start a new airline that would serve destinations all over the world. “I believe discussions have taken place regarding this matter.” She suggested acquiring it and establishing a brand-new airline with brand new planes. “I told Maryam to have consultations around it. I told her that you can buy the PIA and also establish a new airline too and that Air Punjab should go from Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi to New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and every part of the world. I believe a discussion is taking place on this.” In the same discussion, Nawaz lamented that under former premier Imran Khan’s government the national carrier went under the water after then aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar said PIA pilots don’t have the required licenses. “I am aggrieved at the destruction of the PIA and those who did so are amongst us. The Imran’s cabinet minister Ghulam Sarwar said the pilots don’t have the licenses. Can you imagine the damage caused? That was not true to start with but even if it was, should such a thing have been said publicly?” The PML-N president has expressed deep sadness over the decline of PIA noting that he arrived in the US after changing flights.