PIA suspends Lahore to New York operations due to Rs1.5bn loss per annum

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan International Airline (PIA) Irfan Elahi informed National Assembly Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs that Lahore to New York PIA flights operation had been suspended due to Rs 1.5 billion loss annually because over 10 years PIA was facing loss on this route.

He said the PIA was facing over Rs 1 billion loss per month and the government has constituted a committee to seek the reasonable solution to make PIA profitable organization again.

The Committee meeting held here on Wednesday under the Chairperson Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal.

Besides others MNAs including Mian Tariq Mehmood, Rasheed Ahmed Khan, Shazia Mubashir, Dr Shazia Sobia, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak and officials of different departments attended the meeting.

Irfan Elahi informed the committee about the mismanagement and delay/cancellation of flights and problems being faced by parliamentarians, he said that passenger handling service (PHS) always facilitates parliamentarians at airport starting from seat allocation of choice, bulkhead seat on priority.

Irfan said whenever there is a planned delay/cancellation PIA call center always informed passengers through call centre.

He informed to the NA body that in case of flight delays at airport, a dedicated team is informed to look after them and provide them updated information about delays.

Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) told NA panel so far they have not received the final result of census.

He said that before four months of General Election, ECP shall prepare a comprehensive action plan specifying all legal and administrative measures that had been taken or required to be taken in report of the election.

The committee recommended Rs 1 million registration fee of the political party and every party should pay to ECP Rs 500,000 per annum.

He said that so far 350 parties have been registered with ECP across the country.

NA body also recommended that maximum limit for spending for the individual candidates should be fixed at Rs 2 million.

ECP had planned to collect the elections results sharply through whatsapp across the country which will be considered as official result.

The NA panel also recommend a woman seat from Federally Administrative Tribal Area (FATA).