PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s Adviser on Finance Muzzammil Aslam has raised serious concerns over the federal government’s handling of Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) privatization.
It challenged official claims of success and called the deal financially misleading.
Speaking to the media in Peshawar, Aslam said that the government would receive only 7.5 percent from the privatization deal, an amount he claimed is barely equal to the fees paid to consultants. He added that the government has retained Ts.700 billion in liabilities of the national airline, which will ultimately be borne by the public through additional taxation.
He questioned the government’s narrative of achievement, stating that the financial burden of PIA had not been resolved but merely shifted onto the people. “These liabilities will be paid by imposing more taxes on citizens,” he said.
Aslam remarked that although the privatization process had finally moved forward, it should not be portrayed as a success. “Better late than never, but the government should not take credit for this. Instead, it should apologize to the nation,” he added.
He noted that the privatization of PIA had remained incomplete since 2015, pointing to years of mismanagement and delayed reforms within the national carrier.
