Have profitable routes of PIA been given to Airblue?
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KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Saturday has grilled the government over proposed privatisation of the national flag carrier.
SC took notice of the proposed privatisation of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and handing over of the profitable routes of the national flag carrier to other airlines including Air Blue.
The court also restrained the authorities from making fresh recruitments in the PIA.
Hearing human rights application with regard to the affairs of PIA, the Supreme Court’s two member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar directed the federal government, secretary ministry of defence, Chairman PIA to file comments about the affairs of PIA and apprise the court as whether certain profitable routes of the national flag carrier were given to the private airlines including Air Blue and whether the government has any intention to privatize the airline.
The court directed the deputy attorney general to file the comments on behalf of the PIA, secretary defence and others within one week and adjourned the hearing till April 9 at Islamabad principal seat.
The court also took notice of the appointment of adviser to Prime Minister on Civil Aviation Sardar Mehtab Khan Abbasi as Chairman PIA and inquired if he has the sufficient experience to run such an important organisation.