Pakistan

Govt will bring PIA at par with Qatar Airways, says PM Nawaz

Premier's statement comes a day after scoring a victory against the unions of PIA

News Desk February 11, 2016

PM Nawaz Sharif being received by Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasir Bin Khalifa Al-Thani at Hamad International Airport, Doha on February 10, 2016. PHOTO: PID

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday his government will work towards bringing the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, at par with Qatar Airways.

“Now that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) workers’ strike has ended, we will work towards bringing it at par with Qatar Airways” the premier said while addressing Pakistani community in Qatar’s capital of Doha.

Qatar Airways named Skytrax's world's best airline of 2015

Shunning aside protests, the premier said the national carrier can be brought to the level of the state-owned flag carrier of Qatar, Qatar Airways. Qatar Airways was voted the world’s best airline at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards. Qatar Airways has been named the number one airline twice before, in 2011 and 2012, and twice been voted runner-up. In 2015, the airline also took home prizes for best airline in the Middle East and best business class seat.

The premier’s statement comes a day after scoring a victory against the unions of PIA. JACPIAE called off its strike on Tuesday after eight days against the government’s decision to privatise the national carrier. The strike saw cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Further, PM Nawaz said Pakistan has successfully broken the backbone of terrorists owing to operation Zarb-e-Azb. “We are taking all measures to bring the country out of darkness and certain that Pakistan will have access to cheap electricity through LNG [liquefied natural gas] import,” he said.

Shahbaz avoids giving firm assurances on PIA future

PM Nawaz said Pakistan’s security situation is improving while peace has been revived in Karachi, the financial hub of the country.

On Wednesday, Pakistan and Qatar signed an agreement in Doha, according to which Pakistan will be provided with a billion dollars’ worth of LNG annually as part of the PM's two-day official visit to the Arab country.

Furthermore, projects relating to solar and hydro power are being initiated to ensure availability of electricity, the premier added. "I will also soon lay foundation stone of Karahi-Lahore motorway."

“Only two-and-a-half years ago, Pakistan was on the verge of becoming a defaulter country but now is on the path to progress,” PM Nawaz said.

Pakistan, Qatar sign $1bn LNG deal

He also said it is something to take note of that Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are on a record level now.

The prime minister said to cease functioning of industries and deprive local consumers of electricity is not a service to the country and all previous the governments should have thought about it.

Taking aim at recent protests, he said, “Now when Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) strike has ended, we will work towards bringing it at par with Qatar Airlines.”

According to him there has been increase in trade with Qatar, adding that economic signs are positive for the country and it is on a fast track to development.

COMMENTS (19)

Thomas Houlahan | 8 years ago | Reply Nonsense. Qatar Airways is the best by a wide margin and will so remain.

Jan | 8 years ago | Reply Departments runs by sincerity, but for Pakistan " Departments ruins by sincerity"

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sufyaan | 8 years ago | Reply love

sufyaan | 8 years ago | Reply let pm nawaz sharif do whats right for pakistan where nawaz sharif stands in the past nawaz sharif operated yellow cabs for pakistan which no other pm has done nawaz sharif has made metro shopping malls roads nawaz sharif is looking in to future for better pakistan... dont put jealous comments.. let pakistan bring bright green colour in to future where it stands let paaak pakistan merge forward with a smile.. i can see comments that not letting pakistan go forward other than bring it down if your from pakistan give a big support from your hearts..

Usman Sherazi | 8 years ago | Reply Yeah...just like you've brought Pakistan at par with all other major superpowers and already got rid of loadshedding and corruption within no time!!

Asaf Ali Shah | 8 years ago | Reply There is no doubt that the overstaffed PIA needs drastic surgery. How do people expect the Government to be indifferent and do nothing? Asat Ali Shah Lahore

S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply Earlier on, Nawaz in his exalted state of mind had promised to make Pakistan Asian Tiger. However, the offer was not taken by the public with equal enthusiasm. In fact, a leading newspaper published a cartoon, which showed Nawaz Sharif looking at a mouse with a magnifying glass, seeing it obviously as a Tiger. And that gave us a fair idea as to what sort of Asian Tiger the Sharif Brothers are likely to make us. And now, in the same spirit, Nawaz Sharif has vowed to bring PIA at par with Qatar Airways, which has been voted as the world’s best airline. And I suppose for accomplishing this feat, he would use a mechanism not much different from that adopted to turn Pakistan into an Asian Tiger. And my guess is that Nawaz Sharif would employ the simplest possible means to bring PIA at par with Qatar Airways, which would perhaps be to make it a part of Qatar Airways. Perhaps the deal has already been made. And knowing the secretive ways in which Nawaz Sharif works, like the pricing formula for LNG import from Qatar was not ‘disclosed’ until nearly a year after the arrival of the first consignment, he is waiting for an opportune moment to make the disclosure. Perhaps that is why the government’s top official entrusted the job of privatisation kept insisting during a recent discussion programme that PIA will indeed be privatized. And that also is why during a recent meeting with the officials of the PIA Joint Action Committee, de-facto Deputy Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif did not make a clear-cut pronouncement about PIA’s future. And while all this massive bungling is going on elsewhere in the country, Pakistan’s most powerful team of terrorism and crime busters is busy feverishly pursuing its noble mission in Sindh, to turn into a land of milk and honey. But of course it is not for us to question the priority list and the order of preferences of the wise, and valiant men. Karachi.

JSM | 8 years ago | Reply This a good joke.

Haji Atiya | 8 years ago | Reply @Istaburg: Henceforth all PIA jets will be powered by metrobus engines and thus realising the ultimate in fuel economy.

Naseem shah | 8 years ago | Reply What a shame. Day light robbery to the poor nation who can not see right r wrong. They just clap there hands behind the curept leaders.

bajwa | 8 years ago | Reply If PM had said - "Govt will bring Qatar Airways at par with PIA", i would have believed him, but not the other way round.

freed | 8 years ago | Reply more loans, more corruption, more indirect taxes on masses and the country is fixed. Wow no one has tried this approach before.

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply That's an insult to the peoples intelligence.

PrasadDeccani | 8 years ago | Reply @Istaburg: My guess is that GoP will sell PIA to Qatar Air. Once the transaction completes PIA will merge with Qatar Air and thus will be on a par with Qatar Air.

Imran | 8 years ago | Reply there has to be some basis before giving such statements

Istaburg | 8 years ago | Reply Noble thought ....how dear PM will that happen?

Dong | 8 years ago | Reply Well offcourse, now that the airline has been gifted to Sharif's friends, he will use the entire government machinery to make it an efficient organization. A shameless premier who does corruption in the form of nepotism in broad daylight and is cheered on by millions.

Jibran | 8 years ago | Reply Using the expertise of Senator Mushahidullah and his brothers?

Jibran | 8 years ago | Reply How? Qatar airways has deep pockets and runs highly subsidized operations. Are you ready to go for the war of attrition with Kuwait, Qatar, and UAE? The rulers of these countries consider their airlines as their pets and are willing to lower prices further just to take the market share.

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