Sherry Rehman raises concerns over PIA aircraft grounding in senate session

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: Vice President of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman Tuesday raised significant concerns in the Senate regarding the grounding of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft and the ambiguity surrounding the airline’s privatization process.

“The privatization process of PIA remains completely unclear,” Senator Rehman remarked during her address. She questioned whether the privatization plan had been abandoned due to the lack of a buyer or if it was still ongoing. She called on the government to provide clarity on the matter.

Senator Rehman acknowledged the resumption of PIA flights to Europe as a positive development. However, she expressed disappointment over the opposition’s absence from the session, stating, “I wish the opposition were present today, as they played a role in grounding Pakistani pilots. It took four and a half years to restore PIA after that setback.”

Senator Rehman also raised concerns about the limited reach of PIA services, particularly to remote areas of the country. She urged the Minister for Aviation to provide details on the airline’s routes and fleet management.

“Out of PIA’s fleet of 34 aircraft, only 19 are operational, while the rest remain grounded,” she said.

Referring to the recent advertisements for PIA’s European flights, Senator Rehman questioned their appropriateness and security implications. “In one of the advertisements, a plane was shown heading towards the Eiffel Tower in Paris. This raised serious security concerns,” she pointed out.

Senator Rehman emphasized the need for transparency and effective management in restoring PIA’s operations to its full potential. “The government must clarify its plans for PIA, its fleet, and its operational strategy moving forward,” she concluded.