KARACHI: A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) staffer has been arrested for stealing a female passenger’s luggage at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The incident occurred after Flight PK-305 from Lahore landed in Karachi, where a female passenger reported her bag missing to airport authorities. According to airport sources, the suspect—identified as Tariq Ali from PIA’s engineering department—was taken into custody following a brief scuffle with security personnel.
“With the cooperation of the Karachi Airport administration, the stolen bag containing the passenger’s belongings was successfully recovered,” a senior official familiar with the situation said.
The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has handed over the accused to the Airport Security Force (ASF), which is now leading the investigation. Authorities also confirmed that Tariq Ali’s airport entry pass has been revoked pending the outcome of the inquiry.
In addition, PIA has launched an internal probe into the matter, while the ASF is expected to submit a preliminary investigation report in the coming days.
PIA bidders pre-qualification process
Earlier, the Privatization Commission Board has pre-qualified four investor groups for the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The development was confirmed during the commission’s 273rd board meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Privatization Muhammad Ali. The board also approved the transaction structure for the Roosevelt Hotel in New York, a property owned by PIA.
According to an official statement, the pre-qualification committee evaluated applications from five companies and finalized four consortia for the next phase of the privatization process. The selected investor groups are:
- Group 1: Lucky Cement Limited and Hub Power Holdings Limited
- Group 2: Kohat Cement Company Limited and Metro Ventures Limited
- Group 3: Arif Habib Corporation Limited, Fatima Fertilizer Company, and Fauji Fertilizer
- Group 4: City Schools Limited, Lake City Holdings, and Airblue
These consortia will now proceed to the due diligence phase as the privatization process moves forward.
Roosevelt Hotel Deal Also Advances
The board also gave its nod to the proposed transaction structure for the Roosevelt Hotel, with the aim of securing long-term financial benefits for Pakistan.
No Extension for PIA Bidding Deadline
In a related development, the Privatization Commission reaffirmed that the deadline for submitting bids for PIA’s privatization will not be extended beyond June 19, 2025.
The commission earlier received Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from eight companies, with five having formally submitted their applications so far.
