Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Documented proofs of assets of billions of rupees owned by the national flag carrier PIA have vanished from different offices of the airline.

The reason of this act might be that some corrupt element either want to grab the costly assets themselves or hand them over to some blue-eyed persons at throwaway prices. It is likely that PIA as well as national exchequer may suffer another loss of billions of rupees due to this peculiar theft of record. According to details, an influential mafia in PIA has tightened its belt to grab multi-billion dollar assets of the airlines which are situated in and outside the country.

The price of buildings and office of PIA in Rawalpindi and Islamabad has been fixed at only Rs 60 million for privatisation, which actually are valued at hundreds of billions of rupees. When the report about loss of documents regarding ownership of property and assets was presented in a high-level meeting a wave of anxiety spread across the ruling PML-N and opposition. The chairman of the committee Senator Mushaidullah Khan expressed his annoyance and said that the prices which are told to the committee seem to be a big joke.

Senator Shireen Rehman said on the occasion that instead of making PIA worthless, the appropriate value of its assists may be reassessed. In this connection Senator Saeed Ghani said that it is the major responsibility of the institution to keep the record of its property and valuables intact, as there are some elements in every department who either destroy the record or tamper with it. He said it is not possible that PIA has not any documents of the property. Senator Kamil Ali Agha said in the regard that the government wants to commit corruption on a large scale. The sources said the mafia is trying to burry PIA alive, which is already under the burden of hefty debts by selling its assets in foreign countries including Rose Valet Hotel in New York and Me’ mode Hotel in Paris, which have the market value of billions of dollars. Some high-ranking officials of PIA are ready to sell these pricey holdings of the airline at low prices. He said that for the time being, the government has not any plan to sell the possessions of PIA outside the country, but the assets inside the country will be sold. Daily Times came to know that the government is prepared to sell these billions of rupees resources to its own people. Daily Times tried to get in touch with Privatisation Commission Chairman Zubair Umer but he put off answering the question.