KARACHI, July 14: The prime minister’s adviser on aviation, Shujaat Azeem, has said that the Rs7 billion bail-out package for the Pakistan International Airlines will put back the national carrier on the path of recovery and make it profitable within next six months.

In a statement issued here, he said that the newly-constituted PIA board of directors, on its part, keeping in view the poor financial conditions of the airline, had decided not to take any perks and privileges from the airline such as pay, free travel for self and family members.

PIA chairman Aslam Khalique had also announced that he would not draw any salary, he added.

He said a critical analysis of passenger traffic over the past five years had been done and local aviation advisers’ views were reviewed, after which it was decided that 10 narrow-body new generation aircraft would be inducted in the airline on a priority basis.

It would facilitate domestic flights that had become unpredictable for a long time due to non-availability of the aircraft, he added.