RAWALPINDI: Former air vice marshal Muham­mad Amir Hayat has been appointed as the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) chief executive officer, the national carrier’s spokesperson confir­med on Thursday.

Mr Hayat has been appointed for one year, according to Abdullah Hafeez Khan, however, the official notification in this regard is yet to be issued.

He had been serving as acting CEO since April 2022, after the retirement of the former CEO retired air marshal Arshad Malik.

According to the airline’s website, Mr Hayat was commissioned in the engineering branch of the Pakistan Air Force in 1990.

He graduated as an aerospace engineer from PAF Academy, Risalpur and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and National Security and War Studies.

He served in the PAF for over three decades and was subsequently deputed to PIA.

On Wednesday, the outgoing aviation minister, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, had said Mr Hayat was “a very competent person” and has been working for the betterment of the airline.

Separately, the national flag carrier has announced discounted domestic fares on Independence Day.

Under the “Azadi Offer”, passengers can avail 14 per cent discount on all domestic flights, according to the spokesperson.

The offer is only valid for travel on August 14 only. The airline has already started issuing discounted tickets.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2023