PIA flight operations across country wind down as employees killed in Karachi clash

[Silaaj]

Re: PIA flight operations across country wind down as employees killed in Karachi cla

@phoenixdesi

thx for an informative and mature post. very helpful

but in the end, i still believe PIA needs to be privatized so that Pakistanis can travel with some peace of mind. As long as it stays with the govt, there will always be probability for it to fall to new lows depending which party is ruling the country. So yes, you may fix it today under govt rule but who knows what will happen tomorrow when a new govt comes…so privatize it but do it in an open, transparent and mature way

But then the privatization list would grow pretty long. And that may be the answer to securing IMF loans, but not the answer to Pakistan’s progress. Arguments can be made against it from different angles.
If Railways can be turned around, why not PIA?
And on the flip side, if they can willingly endure a Rs. 2 billion subsidy on Lahore metro, and another 2 billion on Pindi metro, why cant they subsidize PIA to an extent till it gets back on its feet?

@kakaballi

Meaning, run it like a private enterprise? right?
This is exactly what the ‘protesters’ don’t want. I’ve seen palace of a lowly purchasing manager of PIA in Lahore. I am sure he won’t be willing to leave his current lavish lifestyle and actually ‘work’ for another organization.

Stuff like this is the side effect of political appointments, a crime which both PPP and PMLN are guilty of. And the blowback of this is something these parties will have to bear. And from what I can see, PMLN is not willing to take the fall here, which is why they want to sell it off.
PMLN should shelve privatization plans, and offer gold handshakes. Im sure plenty will take it. That will give the govt leverage to bring in a truly independent board (that is, if they are truly interested in doing that).