ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed two bills, which are going to pave the way for the repeal of the law that facilitated the corporatisation and eventual privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and introduce measures to update and modernise existing laws to address emerging requirements of the Pakistan Telecommuni-cation sector.
Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif presented the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Bill, 2026, in the House for passage.
The House passed the bill with a majority vote.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja also tabled “The Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill, 2025” in the House for approval. The House passed the bill with a few amendments as presented by Treasury members. However, the House rejected all amendments proposed by Alia Kamran of JUI-F.
PPP lawmaker Syed Naveed Qamar moved three amendments, saying disputes relating to the right of way for laying 5G fibre cable would arise, and that powers to resolve such disputes should be given to provincial and relevant governments.
Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif presented the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Act, 2026, in the House for passing. The House passed the bill with a majority.
According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of “the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Act, 2026” as passed by the Senate, the Act has fulfilled its purpose and its repeal is now required to complete the post-privatisation legal and contractual framework.
According to clause two of the Bill, the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) Act, 2016 (XV of 2016), except sub-section (1) of section 7, is hereby repealed. “(2) Notwithstan-ding the repeal of the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) Act, 2016 (XV of 2016), the conversion of the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation into a public company, all orders made, actions taken, arrangements entered into, transfers effected, licenses, permissions, sanctions, authorisations, concessions, and approvals granted, and all proceedings continued under any of the powers conferred or exercised under the aforementioned Act of 2016, together with any right, privilege, obligation, or liability acquired, accrued, or incurred thereunder, shall be deemed always to have been lawfully and validly made, taken, issued, vested, or transferred and shall continue to be in force.”
Following the successful privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the Federal Government had introduced the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Bill, 2026. The Bill seeks to repeal the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) Act, 2016, which had been enacted to facilitate the corporatisation and eventual privatisation of the national flag carrier.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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