Minister for Aviation Khawaja Asif on Monday dismissed what he termed “baseless and malicious propaganda” about the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), its flight safety, and operations.
In a post on X, the minister said safety remained “non-negotiable” and that “unqualified individuals cannot dictate it in the presence of Pakistani and international regulators.”
Asif said PIA’s flight operations were fully compliant with both the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and international aviation safety standards. He added that the government “fully backs team PIA’s efforts to restore the national flag carrier’s profitability and expand its network.”
Highlighting recent performance, the minister said PIA’s average daily revenue over the past three days had reached Rs600 million, achieved through a regular domestic and international flight schedule without disruptions.
He accused certain quarters of “spreading malicious news to harm national interests and sabotage the airline’s revival efforts,” adding that the government had worked tirelessly over the past five years to bring PIA back on track.
Asif, who also serves as Defence Minister, said PIA continued to operate scheduled domestic flights and international routes to Toronto, Manchester, Paris, Saudi Arabia, China, and the Far East, with plans to expand further into Europe and North America in the near future.
