MQM senator criticises government for its failures related to PIA. PHOTO: INP
Khan made the revelation during the Senate’s question hour, while informing the lawmakers about the government’s decision to buy new aircraft for the national carrier on dry lease.
The minister also claimed that the airline has become a profitable entity.
According to details, four aircraft will be inducted in the fleet by April this year while remaining five will be inducted by the end of the year.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement Senator Tahir Mashhadi criticised the government over issues related to PIA as he called the airline a centre of corruption.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Hina Rabbani Khar also responded to questions raised during the session. She informed the senators that the government has sought clarification from Washington regarding reports which stated that the Obama administration will continue with its drone campaign in Pakistan.
Speaking about a new act for the field of medicine, Minister for National Regulations and Services Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the “Pharmacy Act” will soon be introduced in the parliament to bring the practices of the profession in line with other developing countries.
COMMENTS (11)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1732794167-0/barbie-(5)1732794167-0-165x106.webp "article")
1732520496-0/BeFunky-collage-(86)1732520496-0-165x106.webp "article")
more than 50% that's an achievement way to go pia.
PIA should be privitized i think
Can't believe that the PIA fleet size is only 38. It's just sad.
Planes are made to fly and they make money when they fly.
Good for Pakistan, they are a nuclear power who cares about airplanes.
If the headline was "Only 13 PIA flights not operational out of 38", things would have looked so positive. But Media wants attention.
In the USA you can end up in jail if your bold enough to lie when giving testimony to Congress - how can an airline which has 48% of it's fleet grounded be profitable? Didn't anyone in your Senate question the veracity of this dubious testimony?
thats good number !!!! not bad as was depicted earlier in media ...
I do not doubt for a second the minister's statement that PIA has become a profitale entity. As a matter of fact, it has always been a money-spinner, for very many of its senior officers as well as for contractors and others associated with it, though not exactly for its owners, barring early years.
One of our relatives coming from Canada got to the airport a few hours before departure time, went through all formalities, and reached inside the plane but was later told that the plane had developed some fault. With engineers having no idea when it could be fixed and with no alternate flight provided, she returned the ticket, got her money back and is planning to come with some other airline.
However, another of my relatives coming from London was all praise for PIA, which provided her, and all others on board, very comfortable travel. With few passengers on the plane, every one was given the choice of occupying three seats and travel sleeping. My niece in England tells me that over there, people interpret PIA as Pagal International Airlines.
I remember good old days when people believed PIA's slogan "Great people to fly with" because in those days, it was no empty slogan.
Karachi
Lack of Professionalism