Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday ordered all the managing directors (MDs) of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) who have served during the past 10 years to appear before the apex court on April 12.

While hearing a suo motu case pertaining to proposed privatization of the national carrier, the CJP directed the PIA’s incumbent chief to submit the audited statements of accounts of last 10 years before the court on the next hearing.

The Federation of Pakistan, Defence Ministry and PIA chairman have been directed to submit their replies on the matters concerning the national carrier’s proposed privatisation and alleged allocation of profitable routes to private airlines.

On March 1, the CJP had taken suo motu notice of profitable routes allegedly being taken away from PIA and given to private carriers, especially Airblue which is owned by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The CJP had also restrained the authorities from making fresh recruitment in the PIA until further orders.

According to reports, with Shahid Khaqan Abbasi taking over as prime minister, the federal government has shown renewed interest in privatization of the PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills despite questions being raised over the timing of the move as the incumbent government is just months away from culmination of its five-year term.

The present government had earlier attempted to privatize part of the airline, including its management, but the plans were put on the backburner after opposition from other political parties and the airline’s staff.

According to a report, PIA was among 68 state-owned companies earmarked for privatization in return for a $6.7 billion International Monetary Fund package that helped the government stave off a default in 2013, the year when it came to power.

Despite some initial success, the process stalled in 2016 after staff protests caused havoc with PIA operations and the government passed a law that effectively made it impossible to privatize the airline.

Published in Daily Times, April 7^th 2018.