Minister for Defence Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar informed the National Assembly on Friday that purchase of new aircraft on lease basis had become necessary to keep PIA functional.

He was replying to a joint calling attention notice moved by MNAs, Nuzhat Sadiq, Nisar Tanveer, Nighat Parveen Mir, Shireen Arshad Khan and Surriya Asghar.

The minister said that 32 PIA planes out of the total 39 were functional, while seven had been grounded. He said that the government was trying to follow Public Procurement Rules Authority (PPRA) in purchase of new airplanes. He said it was easy to procure aircraft on lease.