Plea against PIA’s privatization: LHC seeks reply from Centre, others by 30th

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday sought reply from the federal caretaker government and others by November 30 on a petition challenging the proposed privatization of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

The court had dismissed the petition for non-prosecution, however, later allowed an application of the petitioner for the restoration of the petition.

The court observed that questions of public importance involving constitutional law had been raised in the petition, therefore, asked the attorney general for Pakistan to assist the court on next hearing.

The petitioner, Nabeel Javed advocate, referring a judgment said that the privatization of the PIA was a matter of public interest. He argued that the caretaker government had no jurisdiction to engage in the privatization of the PIA in view of its limited scope and authority.

The lawyer stated that the caretaker government had the mandate to run daily affairs only, so it cannot make decisions on policy matters.

He said the privatization of PIA being undertaken by the caretaker government was also beyond the ambit and scope of the provisions of the Pakistan International Airline Corporation (Conversion) Act, 2016. The petitioner asked the court to restrain the caretaker government from privatizing the PIA.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023