Islamabad: Supreme Court of Pakistan has lifted its stay order on the privatisation of the national airline, granting the government the green light to continue with the long-anticipated process.
On Thursday, the constitutional bench of the apex court, led by Justice Amin Uddin Khan, convened to address the matter of the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The additional attorney general (AAG) informed the court that the privatisation process had commenced in accordance with earlier court rulings that permitted the airline’s management to bring on new professionals. However, the recruitment efforts had been put on hold due to the ongoing privatisation plan.
The AAG also added that restrictions on the carrier’s flight operations have been lifted, allowing the airline to operate without constraints.
Justice Amin Uddin remarked that resuming the privatisation process now could potentially fetch higher rates for the airline.
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail raised concerns about the possibility of the government breaching an earlier Supreme Court directive.
This directive mandated that the privatisation process be carried out in a transparent manner and maintain the confidence of the court.
The additional attorney general assured the court that an application had been filed to seek its confidence for the privatisation process. Justice Mandokhail advised the government to ensure the process is conducted efficiently and in good faith.
The court later dismissed the petition, retracting its previous order to suspend the privatisation of the national airline.
The federal government’s attempt to privatize the national airline has reached an impasse, as the only bidder proposed a significantly lower amount than expected. This development has prompted officials to reevaluate the entire privatisation strategy.
