A Pakistan International Airline (PIA) carrier was grounded at Turbat airport after it encountered a technical fault on Sunday.

Meanwhile, another PIA carrier was barred from flying due to technical fault at Sukkur airport. Several passengers were stranded at the airports as the fault in the aircraft disturbed the schedule of flights.

The number of of grounded PIA aircraft has reached to five in the span of three weeks.

Once a source of pride for the country, PIA's decay has made it the butt of jokes, one of which goes that its initials actually stand for 'Perhaps I'll Arrive'.

Flights are regularly cancelled and engineers say they have to cannibalise some planes to keep others flying.

Over the years, critics say, governments have manipulated state corporations like PIA for political and financial gain, giving jobs to so many supporters that the size of the workforce has become unsustainable in the face of mounting losses.