'Why not sell Shaheen Air's assets to recover unpaid amount?' CJP asks

E-Paper | March 05, 2026

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday remarked that Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Shaheen Air International (SAI) officials are "colluding to make a mess of things" as the Supreme Court resumed hearing a case regarding the airlines' payment of dues to the CAA.

Justice Nisar was heading a three-judge bench hearing the case pertaining to a long-drawn dispute between both organisations regarding the airline's non-payment of Rs1.5 billion to the aviation authority.

The CAA had partially suspended Shaheen's international flight operations in July 2018 due to the non-payment of its dues ─ despite the Sindh High Court's orders to this effect ─ leaving passengers stranded in China.

SAI had moved the high court against the CAA directive and the court ordered that the authority should not suspend the airline’s operations if it made the payments as per an agreed timetable.

The top judge asked CAA Director General Hassan Baig how much was payable to the aviation body by SAI, to which the CAA DG responded that Shaheen Air has yet to pay Rs1.34bn.

"Recovering dues is your job," Justice Nisar remarked, adding: "It seems as though you have colluded to make a mess of things."

"Where is the Shaheen Air chief executive officer?" the CJP asked. Baig responded that the CEO is out of the country, to which the chief justice remarked: "You drove him out of the country. You all are involved in this together."

The chief justice asked how employees who had not received their salaries were getting by, and also wanted to know what assets SAI owns.

"Why not sell all of Shaheen Air's property to recover the amount?" the CJP asked, summoning the airline's CEO.

He asked for the SAI CEO to be present in court today or tomorrow ─ at the latest ─ and ordered a break in the hearing.

CAA suspends Shaheen Air’s domestic operations

Shaheen Air, CAA in dispute over Rs1.5bn payment

CAA gives Shaheen Air special permission to fly back stranded passengers from China

Kerim

Dec 03, 2018 12:52pm

Plz be launching airline directly between Pakistan and Iran.

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Ashfaq

Dec 03, 2018 12:55pm

Government fails. Collusion wins. People lose.

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Tamza

Dec 03, 2018 12:59pm

There is a simple concept of bankruptcy; when an organizations liabilities exceed assets. Seize all assets, ie transfer them to CAA and try to keeps operations going. If continuing ops not feasible, shutdown airline.

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Parvez

Dec 03, 2018 01:00pm

Why only make suggestions ...... in the case of encroachments it was different.

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ABE

Dec 03, 2018 01:06pm

Because the entire fleet of old 737s and 720s (their biggest most valuable assets) will not fetch close the the amount they owe. They were insolvent (liabilities exceeded asset values) to begin with. With outstanding dues, fees, fines, salaries and other expenses the company will end up with a few hundred million rupees, not close to 1.5 billion that it owes just to CAA.

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Sachin

Dec 03, 2018 01:22pm

'Why not sell Shaheen Air's assets to recover unpaid amount?' CJP asks Is it for PIA and all lose making government units also? If not then why tax payers should pay for them.

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fairplay

Dec 03, 2018 01:23pm

now CAA can file for sale of Shaheen to recover payments, they do seem to colluding with the owners of Shaheen by dragging their feet in the recovery process.

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Newborn

Dec 03, 2018 01:25pm

First inquiry should be done within the CAA, as to who allowed their leased Aircraft to leave Pakistan without clearing their bills.

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beiging

Dec 03, 2018 01:54pm

Sell it to a Chinese brotherly airline.

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Joe

Dec 03, 2018 01:58pm

Sir Would like you to say same for PIA.

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Saad(DXB)

Dec 03, 2018 02:07pm

@Sachin, Because it's none of an Indian's business

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Majid A

Dec 03, 2018 02:48pm

Give all the planes which are air worthy to PIA as they want to add planes in their fleet. This must be done through CJP so that there is no corruption in this deal.

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Dec 03, 2018 02:48pm

@Sachin, - I hope you can actually distinguish between government owned and private enterprise. A private business is just that - a private enterprise. It must pay its due, its costs, etc. The idea of a private 'for profit' company is to make more revenues than costs to stay viable. This simple logic does not always apply to state owned entities. Some have to be subsidised/ supported and maintained simply in light of public benefit they may provide. Of course there are cases when even the public owned entities need to be sold off or disbanded - but for that the sakes have to be much higher. It is much more simpler to sell off assets or liquidate a private 'for-profit' enterprise that cannot or does not pay its dues.

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Raja Idrees

Dec 03, 2018 02:51pm

@ABE They have close to 15 planes. Even if they sell 1 plane and get just 25% of the new price they can pay that 1.4 billion rupees.

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Ali Mir

Dec 03, 2018 03:00pm

@Sachin, Just like Air India

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Dec 03, 2018 03:48pm

Due to its poor performance, shoddy service, nepotism in its ranks and columns, bad management practices and accumulation of hefty debt, the wonderful Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in the name of true justice and fair play, must consider selling off Shaheen Air and it's cumulative moveable and immovable assets, in order to pay off the lingering and painful debt and the balance if any, to be donated to the dam fund for future generations of the country.

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Kash

Dec 03, 2018 04:05pm

@Kerim, There is one

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Mahmood iqbal

Dec 03, 2018 04:07pm

Nationalise Shaheen Airways into PIA for non payment of their bills!

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Mansur Ul Haque

Dec 03, 2018 04:41pm

Paying unpaid creditors by selling assets of the company is the only solution. In Pakistan many companies are functioning by not paying their creditors. It is time all companies who have not paid their creditors must pay poor creditors.Lets sells the properties of such companies and management responsible for non payment must be removed. If Chief Justice do this it will be eye openers for other defaulters and will give boost to businesses. Banks will in future will also feel compfartable in giving loans to private sector.

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Big Bird

Dec 03, 2018 05:07pm

No reason to allow them to stay in business if the cannot pay expenses.

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Nia Pakistan

Dec 03, 2018 08:33pm

Simple rule repossess their assets and banned the defaulters!

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SDA

Dec 04, 2018 09:06am

Please sell their assets to recover the government money. This also teach them a lesson.

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AZAM AKBAR

Dec 04, 2018 10:56am

@Sachin, Mr. Sachin, Valid point and remark.

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Noman

Dec 05, 2018 07:19am

We want our five months salaries please take action

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