ECP asks govt to stop PIA privatisation

The Election Commission of Pakistan has asked the caretaker provincial government to stop the privatisation process of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in view of the upcoming general elections on Thursday, next week.

The ECP also requested the federal government not to enter into any kind of agreement related to the PIA privatisation, seeking the plan documents prepared by the federal cabinet for the privatisation of the PIA.

Read: Interim govt seals plan to privatise PIA

Last week, Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad said the interim government was making “binding plans” for the incoming government after the Feb 8 elections to privatise the loss-making PIA.

In the past, elected governments shied away from undertaking unpopular reforms, including the sale of the national-flag carrier. However, in June, the then coalition government led by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif agreed to overhaul the loss-making state-owned enterprises under a deal with the International Monetary Fund.