News Desk: The official of the Privatization Commission announced on Friday that the auction of Pakistan International Airlines ( PIA ) will be held on December 23, 2025.
Pakistan’s largest consortium, comprising five major groups, has entered the bidding process, the Privatisation Commission said.
According to the Privatization Commission, the consortium comprises of Karachi’s prominent investors the Arif Habib Group and Aqeel Karim, And Lake City, Fatima Group, and City School from Punjab will also participate in the bidding.
The government has invited the US-based Seabury Aviation consultancy to Pakistan to oversee the bid valuation. According to official Seabury provides consultancy services to around 5,000 aircraft operated by various airlines worldwide, bringing international expertise to the privatization process.
The commission also said that the participation of major business groups reflects a new standard of responsibility and professionalism in Pakistan’s privatization efforts. It was disclosed by the commission that in the past 20 years PIA has suffered losses of around Rs 800 billion that make it one of the biggest burdens on the national exchequer.
Officials expressed concern that despite its long history that PIA currently operates a fleet of only 20 airplanes. The commission said that following the privatization of PIA, other state-owned enterprises will also be considered for privatization in phases.
Also read: Complete PIA privatization by year-end: Finance Minister
