Senate panel approves repeal bill to facilitate PIA privatisation, retain airline’s name, brand

The Senate Standing Committee on Defence unanimously approved the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Bill, 2026, to facilitate the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines while preserving its name and brand identity.

The committee, chaired by Senator Talha Mahmood at Parliament House, resumed consideration of the bill after it was referred by the Senate on May 12, 2026.

Officials briefed committee members on the legal requirements, prerequisites and expected timeline for the privatisation process.

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Adviser on Privatisation Muhammad Ali, representatives of the Privatisation Commission and other officials attended the deliberations.

They informed the committee that repealing the existing conversion law was required to proceed with the proposed transaction.

Officials also assured the panel that the legal change would not affect the PIA name or its brand identity.

Following the briefing and discussion, the committee unanimously passed the bill.

The meeting also considered matters concerning regional air connectivity, aviation safety and public concerns over airfare regulation.