Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday approved the purchase of additional planes for Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) existing fleet.

According to a press release issued by the airline's spokesperson, the decision was taken during a meeting of the aviation division. Federal Minister for Aviation Chaudhry Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh, Aviation Secretary Shahrukh Nusrat and PIA chief executive Air Marshal Arshad Malik attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the airline chief gave the prime minister a detailed briefing on the future aircraft requirements of the airline as well as its business plan.

Prime Minister Imran gave orders for the improvement of the airline and increase in travel facilities. He directed the finance ministry to cooperate with PIA for the purchase of the new planes.

According to Air Marshal Malik, overall 12 new planes will be added to PIA's fleet by 2023. In the initial stage, four planes will be added to the fleet by 2020.

The PIA chief said that the planes will be medium-sized and will be used for internal and regional routes of travel.

Thanking the premier for his decision, Malik said that the size of PIA's fleet would go up to 45 by 2023.