ISLAMABAD – Pakistan International Airlines managed to bring back another plane from Indonesia which joined its fleet on Saturday.
The second plane of the national carrier was brought back from Jakarta and joined the air fleet as it flew from Karachi to Lahore.
Two of the aircraft of the beleaguered carrier were stuck in Indonesia after a dispute with the authorities; however, a high-level delegation of the carrier went to Indonesia and resolved the matter. The first aircraft in this regard was retrieved after payment of $13 million.
As far as the controversy regarding the aircraft is concerned, two Airbus A-320 planes of the national flag carrier had been parked in Jakarta since September 2021 due to a leasing dispute.
The national carrier had initially returned the Airbus A320 planes to the leasing company in 2021 but the leasing company declined to accept the aircraft, asserting that they did not meet the specified criteria outlined in the contract, prompting PIA management to settle the dispute.
There have been demands for privatizing the national carrier due to its economic nonviability. Former Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique also stressed the importance of privatizing the carrier or else it would have to shut operations.
In the final days of the PDM regime, it was also decided to privatize loss-making Pakistan International Airlines and a consultant has also been hired in this regard.
Caretaker Prime Minister, Anwar ul Haq Kakar has also directed to expedite the process for privatisation of the carrier.
