In a bid to pave the way for foreign direct investment in the country, the federal government decided on Friday to hire operators having international reputations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed to initiate the process of outsourcing three international airports under public-private partnership.

The premier, chairing a meeting to discuss the matters related to aviation and airports in Islamabad on Friday, said that in the first phase Jinnah International Airport Karachi, Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore, and Islamabad International Airport would be outsourced for 20 to 25 years.

Sources said that in this regard a subsidiary of the World Bank will provide consultancy services.

The premier during the meeting directed that in the process all concerned departments should take steps efficiently. He further said transparency should be ensured in this process.

The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the outsourcing of airports and was informed the outsourcing of airports will not only provide revenue to the government but will also help improve facilities for international travelers.

The meeting was also briefed on the performance of Pakistan International Airlines. It was informed that PIA collected revenue worth 172 billion rupees during 2022 which is highest amount in the history of the national airline.

The meeting was told that four new A-320 fleets have been included in PIA. The network of the airline has also been expanded.

Moreover, the meeting was briefed that wide-body aircrafts are being included in PIA’s fleet.

Expressing satisfaction over the performance of PIA, the Prime Minister appreciated the role of Aviation minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and relevant officers.

With inputs from Radio Pakistan