Mian Zahid Hussain, President of the Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF) & All Karachi Industrial Alliance (AKIA), Chairman of the National Business Group Pakistan (NBG), Chairman FPCCI Policy Advisory Board and Former Provincial Minister of Information Technology, has welcomed the transfer of management of Pakistan International Airlines to the Arif Habib Consortium, calling it an important milestone in Pakistan’s economic reform journey.
He said that PIA is not merely an airline but an institution connected to Pakistan’s identity, overseas connectivity, tourism, trade, investment, and national image. For decades, PIA remained sick due to political interference, weak governance, a debt burden, an outdated fleet, poor route management, poor service quality, and loss of confidence in important international markets. He said that the privatization of PIA would now provide passengers with timely flights, clean aircraft, better baggage handling, competitive fares, effective customer service and stronger domestic and international connectivity.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that under this transaction, the total investment commitment stands at Rs180 billion, including Rs55 billion payable to the Government of Pakistan and Rs125 billion to be invested in PIA for revival and improvement. He said another Rs45 billion is expected to be invested within the next twelve months. This capital would be used for fleet modernization, technology, route development, operational discipline and customer experience. He said that under the new management, PIA is entering a highly tough and competitive aviation market. At the domestic level, PIA faces competition from Airblue, AirSial, Serene Air and Fly Jinnah.
According to market assessments, in 2024-25, Fly Jinnah held around 31 percent of the domestic market share, followed by PIA at 29 percent, Airblue at 16 percent, AirSial at 13 percent, and Serene Air at 10 percent. This clearly shows that PIA must win passenger confidence through performance, competitive prices, quality and trust.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that the international market is even more challenging, as PIA has to compete with strong regional and global airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Saudi Airlines, flydubai, Air Arabia and Turkish Airlines, which have modern fleets, powerful networks, strong balance sheets and better transit hubs. Pakistan’s international passenger market has grown from 6.75 million passengers in 2006-07 to around 26.8 million passengers in 2025, while the number of active international airlines has increased from 28 to 40. This proves that Pakistan’s aviation market is growing, but competition has also become much tougher than before. He said that PIA’s revival will be judged by measurable milestones rather than claims. These include punctuality, aircraft availability, route profitability, load factor, fuel efficiency, cargo growth, digital booking, quick complaint resolution, employee attitude, in-flight services and positive productivity. He added that the restoration of European and British routes is a major opportunity, as previous restrictions caused heavy losses to PIA, reportedly around $144 million annually.
Mian Zahid Hussain appreciated Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb Khan, the Privatisation Commission, regulators and all relevant institutions for completing this complex transaction. He also appreciated the vital role of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in steering investor confidence and encouraging strategic investment in PIA. He said that PIA has now been given capital, robust, professional private management, and a new opportunity; it must now deliver positive results for the people of Pakistan.
