Karachi, August 31, 2023 – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has officially registered a complaint against senior officials of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for alleged misappropriation of government funds, sources said on Thursday.
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Pakistan’s National Flag Carrier Faces Dire Future Without Corrective Measures
The Minister for Aviation, Khawaja Saad Rafique, issued a stern warning on Friday, stating that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the country’s national flag carrier, could be confronted with catastrophic losses of Rs 259 billion by 2030 unless immediate corrective measures are taken.
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Dar Directs Quick Resumption of PIA Flights to US, UK, and Europe
Islamabad, July 7, 2023 – Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar has called for immediate measures to facilitate the prompt resumption of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe.
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PIA lowers fares for students flying to China
The national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has cut down fares for Pakistani students travelling from Pakistan to China with immediate effect.
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PIA commences flight operations to Azerbaijan
LAHORE: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) – the national flag carrier – has commenced its flight operations to Baku, Azerbaijan from the country’s two major cities i.e. Lahore and Karachi, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.
The airline management under the guidance and leadership of CEO PIA, Air Marshal Arshad Malik is fulfilling the vision of Prime Minister of Pakistan to foster and promote brotherly ties with Central Asian Countries and also keeping in view the demand of passengers, to increase revenue and to facilitate passengers, has initiated flights to Baku, one of the emerging tourists destinations that offer ease of Visa facility, having friendly and welcoming people with same religion and lots of historic sites to visit both in Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
READ MORE: PIA incurs loss of Rs42.72 billion in nine months
The inaugural flights departed from the two cities on Wednesday morning. PIA will operate one flight per week from Lahore and Karachi to Baku. Simple Cake cutting ceremonies were held at Karachi and Lahore Airports. Both flights operated with full loads. CEO PIA also traveled on the first flight to Baku.
CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik welcomed the passengers of the first flight from Lahore. He met with the passengers and exchanged views with them. The passengers thanked CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik and the airline’s management for initiating direct non-stop flights to Baku.
READ MORE: PIA transports 5.9 million new batch of COVID vaccines
Sharing his views on the occasion, he said that the flights to Baku will not only facilitate in trade between the two countries but also promote tourism and further build upon brotherly relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
CEO PIA thanked the passengers for making PIA their preferred choice for travel. He said that the airline’s network expansion is under way more flights will be added to the airline’s network including non- stop flights to Australia.
READ MORE: PIA shows 46% revenue decline in half year
Ambassador for Azerbaijan Khazar Farhdove also traveled on the inaugural flight from Lahore to Baku, while at Baku airport officials of Civil Aviation authority and senior Government officials welcomed the passengers.
The passengers of PIA’s flight to Baku from Karachi were welcomed and seen off by PIA senior officials.
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PIA incurs loss of Rs42.72 billion in nine months
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines, the national flag carrier, on Wednesday declared a loss of Rs42.72 billion during the first nine months (January – September) of 2021.
The losses of the national flag carrier were over Rs40 billion in the same period of the last year.
The board of directors of PIA in its meeting on October 27, 2021, approved the financial results for the period ended September 30, 2021.
The board has not approved any cash dividend, bonus shares, or right shares for the period.
The revenue of the airline significantly declined to Rs49.36 billion during January – September 2021 as compared with Rs74.36 billion in the same period of the last year.
On account of aircraft fuel, the airline has spent Rs13.44 billion during the period under review as compared with Rs18.08 billion in the corresponding period of the last year.
Administrative expenses of PIA reduced to Rs3.97 billion during the first nine months of the current year as compared with Rs4.53 billion in the same period of the last year.
The exchange losses of the company were at Rs5.18 billion for the period under review as compared with Rs7.57 billion.
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PIA transports 5.9 million new batch of COVID vaccines
BEIJING: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the national flag carrier of the country, has transported 5.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines through two special flights from China.
The PIA through its two special cargo flights transported a new batch of 5.9 million doses of vaccines from Beijing Capital International Airport to Islamabad.
Special cargo flights – PK6852 and PK6853 took off from Beijing Capital Airport for Islamabad on Monday and Tuesday and transported 5.9 million doses, Qadir Bux Sangi, PIA Country Manager for China told state media here on Tuesday.
On August 29, the national flag carriers airlifted around 12 million doses of anti-Covid-19 vaccines through its four special cargo flights.
The PIA special flights PK-6852, PK-6853, PK-6854 and PK-6856 transported 12 million doses of Sinovac vaccine procured from China for vaccination of people under government’s ongoing prevention and control drive against Covid-19 pandemic, he added.
He said that under able leadership of its Chief Executive Officer, Arshad Malik, the national flag carrier has so far airlifted over 63 million doses of anti-Covid-19 vaccine through 49 special flights.
It is worth mentioning that the government under its mass vaccination drive has set a target to vaccinate 75 million population by end of 2021.
Chinese vaccines namely Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino besides other vaccines are being used in the mass vaccination drive.
The health authorities launched the nationwide vaccination drive with around a million doses of Sinopharm vaccine donated by China, starting with older people and frontline healthcare workers, in March this year.
The drive began with a focus on the oldest people in the community, generally over the age of 80 but now the vaccine is being administered to the people aged over 18 years.
Islamabad received the first COVID-19 vaccine consignment after a military aircraft transported it from Beijing on February 01, this year.
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PIA airlifts 12 million doses of Sinovac vaccines
BIEJING: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Sunday carried fresh batch of 12 million doses of Sinovac vaccines through special flights from Beijing, to Capital International Airport of Islamabad.
The PIA airlifted the Sinovac vaccines obtained from China and brought it to Pakistan for the people under government’s ongoing prevention and control drive against Covid-19.
The PIA Country Manager for China said, “PIA special flights PK-6852, PK-6853, PK-6854 and PK-6856 transported 12 million doses of Sinovac vaccine procured from China for vaccination of people under government’s ongoing prevention and control drive against Covid-19 pandemic.”
He further said that under able leadership of its Chief Executive Officer, Arshad Malik, the national flag carrier had so far airlifted 57 million doses of anti-Covid-19 vaccine through 47 special flights.
He added,“Till now, PIA has brought around 17 million doses of Sinopharm and 40 million doses of Sinovac and CanSino vaccines from China to Pakistan.”
It is worth mentioning that the government under its mass vaccination drive has set a target to vaccinate 75 million population by end of 2021.
So far, over 32 million vaccines have been administered with a maximum of 1.07 million doses in a day on August 02.
Chinese vaccines namely Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino besides other vaccines are being used in the mass vaccination drive.
The health authorities launched the nationwide vaccination drive with around a million doses of Sinopharm vaccine donated by China, starting with older people and frontline healthcare workers, in March this year.
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PIA shows 46% revenue decline in half year
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited on Friday announced 46 per cent decline in net revenue for the half year ended June 30, 2021.
The airline recorded net revenue of Rs27.64 billion for the half year (January – June) 2021 as compared with Rs51.47 billion in the same half of the last year.
However, the losses of the company reduced sharply during the period. The net losses of the airline came down to Rs25 billion for the half year ended June 30, 2021 as compared with Rs36.536 billion in the corresponding half of the last year.
The airline said the cost of services reduced to Rs36.84 billion for the half year under review as compared with Rs55.7 billion in the same half of the last year.
Out of cost of services, the cost on aircraft fuel fell to Rs7.63 billion as compared with Rs14.65 billion.
Meanwhile, other costs of services, including salaries, wages and allowances also came down to Rs29.21 billion in the first half of 2021 as compared with Rs41 billion in the same half of the last year.
Administrative expenses fell to Rs2.59 billion when compared with Rs3.09 billion.
The airline made an exchange gain of Rs1.32 billion as compared with loss of Rs9.76 billion in the same half of the last year.
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SBP approves PIA Sukuk for SLR maintenance
KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday approved Sukuk to be issued by Pakistan International Airlines Company Limited (PIACL) for the requirement of Statutory Liquidity Requirement (SLR).
The SBP said that in terms of Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Finance notification S.R.O. 746(I)/2021 dated May 31, 2021, the privately placed Sukuk to be issued by Pakistan International Airlines Company Limited (PIACL) under the title of “PIA-Sukuk-I” shall be approved security for the maintenance of SLR under sub-section 1 of section 29 of the Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962.
Further, SLR eligibility limit (i.e. 7 percent) on Public Sector Sukuk shall be applicable on PIA Sukuk-I in accordance with the provisions of the Circular referred above.
The ministry of finance issued SRO 746 (I)/2021 dated May 31, 2021 to announce that privately placed Sukuk to be issued by PIACL up to Rs20 billion shall be guaranteed by the government of Pakistan and shall be approved security for the maintenance of liquid assets.
