ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has selected six companies qualified to bid to buy national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the privatisation minister said on Monday.

The announcement came a couple of weeks after Pakistan had extended the date for submitting expressions of interest. A total of eight companies and consortiums had expressed an interest.

Air Blue, Arif Habib Corporation, Blue World City, Fly Jinnah, Pak Ethanol (Pvt) Consortiums, and YB Holdings Consortiums emerged as the finalists, said a statement from the office of Abdul Aleem Khan.

“The pre-qualified companies can take part in the bids for the PIA,” he said.

The government has previously said it was putting on the block a stake of between 51pc and 100pc in the loss-making airline as part of reforms urged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2024