Pakistan will invite bids on December 23 for the privatisation of its national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), state media reported on Wednesday. The cash-strapped airline, long burdened by mounting losses, is being sold under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme that requires Islamabad to reform or divest underperforming state-owned enterprises.
A similar effort to privatise PIA last year was abandoned after the government failed to secure an offer deemed competitive or attractive enough.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met representatives from corporate groups involved in the process, according to a statement shared by state broadcaster PTV News. “PIA’s bidding will take place on December 23 and will be aired live across all media platforms. We are ensuring full transparency and merit in the privatisation process,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Sharif described the progress as “smooth,” asserting that privatisation would help revive the airline’s “lost prestige,” modernise its operations, and support the resumption of PIA’s full international flight network—a move he said was especially important for overseas Pakistanis.
If finalised, the sale would mark Pakistan’s first major privatisation in nearly twenty years.
Established in October 1946, PIA is headquartered at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, the country’s second-busiest airport and the primary aviation gateway for its largest city.
