KP govt reiterates interest in acquiring PIA

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has written another letter to the privatisation minister, seeking an update on its previous letter expressing interest in acquiring the national airline, PIA.

In its initial correspondence on November 1, the KP government formally declared its readiness to submit a competitive bid for PIA, exceeding the current highest offer of Rs10 billion by the Blue World Consortium.

In a follow-up letter to Federal Minister for Privatisation Abdul Aleem Khan, Hassan Masood Kunwar, Vice-Chairman of the KP Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT), noted that 10 days had passed since the initial proposal and requested an update on the status of KP’s bid, Geo News reported.

The letter emphasised the strategic importance of the acquisition, highlighting strong support from the Chief Minister and the KP Investment Board, and requested an update on the status of the proposal.

The KP government reiterated its commitment to preserving and revitalising PIA, aiming to maintain its legacy as the national flag carrier.

The letter noted that the KP leadership was prepared to offer significant resources and support to achieve these objectives, with a vision to return PIA to prominence while aligning with Pakistan’s national interests.

Additionally, the KP-BOIT indicated its readiness to discuss the proposal in greater detail at the federal government’s convenience.

The letter expressed that the province’s trade and investment body was prepared to engage at the earliest opportunity to elaborate on its strategic vision and competitive bid, which reflects KP’s commitment to Pakistan’s aviation sector and its role as a stakeholder within the federation.

Earlier in one of his statements, the Chief Minister of KP, Ali Amin Gandapur alleged that It has come before the nation what the intentions of Sharif family are and they are seeking to buy PIA “for next to nothing.”

The remarks were made following a graduation ceremony for students from the Alternate Learning Pathways (ALP) programme, where the KP government celebrated its educational achievements.

Gandapur emphasised K-P’s commitment to public service, stating that the province would retain the PIA name if successful in the bid.