PESHAWAR:The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government reiterated their proposal to acquire the beleaguered Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information Barrister Dr Muhammad Saif disclosed the provincial government’s interest in acquiring the national airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), following its privatization. He confirmed that a letter has been sent to the relevant board to take the initiative forward, referring to PIA as a “national asset.”
The move has ignited speculation about whether this move is a genuine bid or merely a tactic to provoke the federal government.
On Friday, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT) sent a letter to Privatisation Minister Aleem Khan, expressing the province’s intention to purchase the national carrier. The letter indicated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was prepared to surpass the Blue World Consortium’s current offer of Rs10 billion.
Aviation expert Qaiser Ansari, who has nearly four decades of experience with PIA, assessed the airline’s true value to be between Rs60 billion and Rs65 billion. He argued that PIA could turn around under professional management, criticizing past appointments of retired air marshals as lacking the necessary expertise for running a commercial airline. “There’s a significant difference between piloting a fighter jet and managing a commercial airline,” he noted. He pointed out that other private airlines in Pakistan are operating profitably, suggesting that PIA could achieve similar success.
Despite this, some experts have raised doubts about the province’s true intentions, suggesting that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa might be better off establishing its own smaller airline. Meanwhile, an aide to the Chief Minister, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, asserted that the bid was legitimate and not politically driven. “We are genuinely interested in acquiring the airline,” he stated, emphasizing that the KP government intends to run PIA professionally. He urged the federal government to evaluate the offer based on its merits, without dismissal.
KP’s adviser for finance, Muzzammil Aslam, did not respond to inquiries regarding the bid.
Journalist Tahir Imran Mian, who covers aviation, expressed skepticism about the KP government’s intentions, suggesting that establishing a regional airline with a small fleet might have been a more practical approach to enhancing connectivity within the province. “If KP were truly serious about owning an airline, they could have launched a smaller provincial carrier instead,” he noted, highlighting the potential for attracting investors with fewer resources. He also questioned why the provincial government did not participate in the initial bidding if they were earnest about acquiring PIA, suggesting instead that they were seeking publicity through this high-profile proposal.
