PIA Airbus at Dubai airport. Photo: PIA website
The bidding for the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be held on December 23, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirming that transparency and merit would remain central to the whole process and announcing that the bidding will be broadcast live on national television.
According to Express News, the prime minister met business leaders and company representatives taking part in the transaction, assuring them that the process was moving forward smoothly as part of broader efforts to revive the national carrier.
The premier said the national carrier’s lost reputation must be revived through a credible and orderly transition. He added that the reform and divestment process was moving ahead in a structured and efficient manner.
He further said the government was committed to bringing PIA in line with modern aviation standards. “InshaAllah, PIA will soon once again live up to its old slogan of ‘Great People to Fly With’,” he remarked.
Reiterating his commitment to a corruption-free process, the prime minister said transparency would be ensured at every stage. “The entire bidding on December 23, 2025, will be aired live on all media channels so that the nation can witness the process firsthand,” he added.
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The prime minister said restoring PIA’s global routes would greatly benefit overseas Pakistanis by providing reliable connectivity. Modernising the airline, he said, was also essential for strengthening Pakistan’s tourism sector, which required a competitive and efficient national carrier.
He expressed hope that whichever bidder ultimately takes charge would dedicate its “full energies” to restoring the airline’s identity and ensuring its long-term growth. The participants praised the government for adopting what they described as a transparent and professional mechanism for the privatisation exercise.
Under the proposed business plan, PIA’s name and branding will remain unchanged after privatisation. The carrier’s fleet is expected to expand from 18 to 38 operational aircraft within four years, with services projected to reach more than 40 cities by 2029.
The government’s renewed effort to privatise PIA follows a failed bid last year when only one offer of Rs10 billion ($36 million) from real estate developer Blue World City was received for a 60 per cent stake. The offer, far below the government’s floor price of Rs85 billion ($305 million), was rejected.
The Privatisation Commission reopened the process in April, inviting expressions of interest for a 51 to 100 per cent stake from both local and international investors. The renewed process drew interest from eight entities, with four shortlisted after federal approval in July, including leading business groups and a private education operator.
The sale of PIA is expected to mark Pakistan’s first major privatisation in nearly two decades. Reviving loss-making state-owned enterprises like PIA remains a key structural benchmark under the country’s ongoing $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout programme.
