Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has asked the management of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to effectively utilise its assets, improve revenue streams and ensure efficiency and financial discipline. The government wants the national flag carrier to overcome its difficulties, said the advisor while talking to President & CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik and his team which met Shaikh on Friday to brief him about various activities and initiatives undertaken by the PIA to reduce its operational cost.
The advisor underlined the importance of a viable and independently made corporate plan to help the PIA overcome its difficulties and achieve sustainability in its business processes and flight operations. He said the government is fully behind the PIA management and expects it to work diligently to turn the national flag carrier into an economically stable, viable and dependable airline for the local and international travellers.
PIA President & CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik briefed the advisor about various initiatives undertaken in recent months, including an effective and optimal utilisation of PIA assets and a significant reduction in the operational cost of the airline.
He said the PIA management has been able to lay off nearly 1,000 redundant staff to save costs and stated that the ongoing Hajj operation is a success with almost 90 percent efficiency achieved in the pre-Hajj flight operation and they expect similar results in the post-Hajj operation for which all-out efforts are made to bring back the pilgrims as per schedule. The adviser instructed his team in the Ministry of Finance to work closely with the PIA management and extend them all possible financial help, keeping in view the availability of fiscal space.