Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari clarified on Monday that the Punjab government has no plans to acquire Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
While discussing the possibility of launching a separate airline for the province, Bokhari emphasized that purchasing the national carrier is not under consideration.
“Pakistan needs a reliable airline, and overseas Pakistanis have often raised their concerns with Mian Nawaz Sharif regarding issues with PIA,” she noted. “Each province has the right to establish its own airline if it chooses.”
Commenting on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s interest in PIA, Bokhari questioned the financial logic behind it. “It’s surprising that a debt-burdened provincial government is expressing interest in buying PIA,” she remarked, suggesting that the KP government should prioritize managing its existing debts.
Bokhari also praised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for initiating multiple development projects while maintaining the province’s financial stability.