The federal government is set to invite Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from April 24 for the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), following the cabinet’s approval of the plan on the Privatisation Commission’s recommendation.
To ensure transparency and attract committed parties, the Privatisation Commission has introduced stringent pre-qualification criteria. Both domestic and foreign investors will be granted a minimum of one month to submit their EOIs.
The government aims to divest between 51% and 100% of its stake in PIA. It has assured that employee protections and existing service structures will remain intact after privatisation.
A comprehensive evaluation of PIA’s financial health and assets is expected to be completed by July 2025. Investor applications will be assessed until September, with the entire privatisation process targeted for finalisation by December 2025.
Only those investors who meet multi-year revenue benchmarks will be eligible. The initiative is being implemented under the “Clean PIA” model, wherein the government has already absorbed the airline’s debts to make it more viable for buyers.
The recent resumption of PIA’s flights to European destinations has boosted investor confidence, with expected interest from Gulf-based corporations, Turkish carriers, and other international entities.
