PIA: Good news: IA Hashmi

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  PIA is the country’s largest airline and the first in Asia to operate the jet-powered Boeing 737 aircraft. This national airline, which was renowned in the world with many awards during its initial 35 years of existence, has been in decline since the late 1980s due to continuous political interference and mismanagement. In June 2020, the then Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan had to reveal in the National Assembly that a large number of commercial pilots in Pakistan had questionable licenses. After which, on July 1, 2020, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended PIA’s air operations permit for European countries for 6 months and on April 8, 2021, the ban was extended indefinitely. 
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• After almost four and a half years of lifting the ban, it is heartening to note that PIA is going to resume flights to European countries from January 10, 2025. A few days ago, IASA had officially informed the Pakistan Ministry of Aviation and PIA administration about this decision, which caused a wave of joy throughout the country. According to the spokesperson, during this period, PIA has addressed all the concerns and reservations of IASA. The ban on PIA has ended at a time when the Government of Pakistan is trying to privatize it, but only one party has bid for just Rs 10 billion, while the minimum price set by the Privatization Commission was Rs 85 billion. 
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• Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has rightly expressed the hope that PIA will benefit from the privatization process if air operations to Europe resume, and this is necessary.