Islamabad (Web Desk): The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday lifted its earlier stay on the privatisation of the national airline, clearing the way for the government to move forward with the process.
The court's constitutional bench, presided over by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard arguments on the matter on Thursday.
During the hearing, the additional attorney general (AAG) explained that the privatisation efforts were initiated following the court's prior orders, which included allowing the airline's management to recruit new staff.
However, recruitment had been put on hold due to the ongoing plans for privatisation.
The AAG also informed the court that restrictions on the airline’s flight operations had been removed, enabling the airline to operate without any limitations.
Justice Aminuddin remarked that resuming the privatisation now could help secure a better valuation for the airline, potentially increasing its sale price.
In contrast, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail expressed concerns about the possibility of the government violating a previous Supreme Court directive, which required that the privatisation process be transparent and conducted in a manner that maintained the court’s confidence.
The AAG reassured the court that an application had already been submitted to ensure the court’s involvement and approval throughout the privatisation process.
Justice Mandokhail emphasized the importance of the process being handled with due diligence and good faith.
Following these discussions, the court dismissed the petition and removed the stay on the privatisation.
This decision comes after the process had stalled when a lone bidder submitted a much lower offer than anticipated, prompting the government to reconsider its strategy.
It is pertinent to mention that the European Union (EU) recently lifted a four-year-long ban on PIA, allowing the national carrier to once again operate its flights to European destinations.
