KARACHI: Apropos a report published in Aug 22 issue of Dawn and captioned “Palpa criticises new aviation policy”, the PIA has clarified that the policy envisages outsourcing of only major airports of Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Karachi to improve services and increase revenue.

“The outsourcing is not tantamount to selling the airports,” the Pakistan International Airlines said in a statement. “The national flag carrier has been involved in deliberations for formulation of the policy.”

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It rejected allegations levelled by General Secretary of the Pakistan Air Lines Pilots Association (Palpa), Sohail Ahmed, regarding the policy and alleged that he had resorted to undignified means to further his own agenda.

Under the policy, it said, the proposal of open skies had been floated to improve service delivery by encouraging healthy competition among airlines. The ultimate beneficiary would be the air traveller, it added.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2015

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