ISLAMABAD, Feb 1: Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali has asked the management of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to continue efforts to further improve quality of its services and make the national carrier more profitable.

The prime minister made these assertions at a briefing by the PIA management at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, here on Saturday.

He said the primary focus of the management should remain on bringing about qualitative improvement in all areas within the existing resources of the airlines.

Passenger safety and comfort be accorded the highest priority, he added.

Mr Jamali particularly emphasized the need to provide better quality service to the passengers on domestic and international routes.

“The organization will have to work really hard in order to stay in competition,” he added.

The PIA, he remarked, had trained so many airlines in the region, it must try to come out of its current spell to stay ahead of these carriers.

FARES: He said there would be no increase in fares in future without the approval of the government. Previously, the Board of Directors approved changes in fares.

He assured there would be no political interference in the affairs of the PIA. The management, therefore, must pursue result-oriented policies, he added.

It was also decided in the meeting to resume the weekly Quetta-Sharjah-Dubai flight closed down in 2001. It was also decided to examine the possibility of starting a Lahore-Quetta-Mashad flight.—APP

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