ISLAMABAD: Minister for State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad stated that Pakistan International Airline (PIA) is bearing loss of Rs. 87 million on daily basis.

Responding a question in the Senate, he informed that previously, PIA was making loss of round about Rs. 101 million per day on average.

This year, PIA has improved and it has generated Rs. 71.71 billion net income within the first nine months from January to September 2013.

Aftab apprised the House that the government has injected Rs. 16 billion out of which Rs. 11.759 billion has been released so far as equity in PIA.

Senator Muhammad Talha Mehmood showed his concern about the privatisation of PIA if the organisation is improving its financial day by day.

"In fact, the government has no concern with business, it is the department of private sector. As far as the government is concerned, its duty is to form polices and legislation etc", the minister replied.

On various queries of other respective members, he pointed out that PIA has taken four airlines on lease from Turkey and it has planned to get five more in near future.

Aftab declared that last time, the airlines was purchased on weight lease but this time, the deal is being done on dry lease.

He was of the opinion that the small aircraft are better than big airlines in comparison to fuel consumption.

Source: APP