PIA bears huge losses due to poor policies in past: Arshad Malik

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) CEO Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik on Tuesday revealed that the PTI bore huge losses due to the poor policies in the past. While talking to a press conference along with Minister for Aviation Mohammad Mian Soomro, Air Marshal Arshad Malik said that in past a corruption mafia was active in the PIA and the airlines was bearing huge losses in its operations on a number of loss-making routes. “We also came to know about shortage of the professionals in the organization,” he said. “The complaints of misbehavior with passengers were a routine. There were reports about removal of engines from the aircraft and disappearance of parts,” he said. PIA CEO Malik said that there was an extreme lack of interest to run the airlines, adding that even there was equipment, which expired in a packed condition. “The PIA was making 300 to 500 million rupees losses at various routes so as, a number of loss-making routes have been curtailed to minimize the losses, CEO Malik said. The PIA CEO further said that the flights on some other routes have been restarted, while more will be started soon.

PM assures comprehensive business plan to revive PIA

Earlier, during meeting with PIA chairman, Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed to evolve a comprehensive business plan to revive PIA as a profitable institution. He also said the national flag carrier was made a liability due to mismanagement and corruption for which tax payers had to share the burden. Expressing satisfaction over the sitting PIA administration, Imran Khan asked the chairman to evolve a comprehensive strategy to overcome losses being faced by the national flag carrier. Briefing the Prime Minister, PIA Chairman Air Marshal Asad Mehmood Malik said total deficit of the airline stands at 414.3 billion rupees. On Dec 7, at least 12 pilots and 73 crew members of the PIA have fake degrees, the national airline told the Supreme Court in a report.