SC constitutional bench greenlights PIA privatisation in ‘fair manner’

The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court disposed of the case by withdrawing the order to stop the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). During the hearing, the Additional Attorney General (AAG) told the court that the Supreme Court has allowed the PIA administration to recruit new officers. He said that the government had started the process of selling PIA but could not start recruitment due to privatization process. The AAG said that the commission is again going for the sale of the dealAnd the ban on PIA flight operations has also been lifted. Justice Jamal Mandukhel inquired whether the Supreme Court’s order was violated by restarting the process of privatization on behalf of the government. The order of the Supreme Court said that the process of disposal of PIA should be done by taking the court into confidence. The law officer told the court that an application was filed to take the court into confidence on the sale process of PIA. Justice Mandukhel gave remarksThat ‘the court gives its confidence and the process of privatization should be done in a fair manner’. The Constitution Bench disposed of the case by withdrawing the earlier order. The final bidding process for the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) took place on October 31 last, with only one bidder bidding for a stake in the national airline. Saad Nazir, chairman of real estate development company Blue World City, confirmed to Reuters that his group placed the bid at a ceremony at a hotel in Islamabad.. The real estate group had bid Rs 10 billion, which was much lower than the Privatization Commission’s expectation of Rs 85.03 billion. The bid apparently threatened the privatization of the national carrier.