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KARACHI jULY 6,2026: Chairman of the Arif Habib Group, Arif Habib, on Monday expressed confidence that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will return to profit in its first year under private management.
Speaking to the media after taking over management control of the national carrier, he said PIA has strong growth potential and has never suffered an operating loss at the operational level.
He said PIA currently operates 18 aircraft out of a total fleet of 30. The airline will restore four to five grounded aircraft in the coming months. In addition, it plans to induct five wide-body aircraft before expanding the fleet to 60 aircraft over the next five years.
Furthermore, Arif Habib announced major investment in PIA’s engineering facility in Karachi to strengthen its maintenance and technical capabilities.
He also said the company is recruiting senior management, and the hiring process will be completed within the next one to one-and-a-half months.
Meanwhile, he assured employees that the privatization agreement protects all existing staff. No employee will lose their job during the first year after privatization.
Expressing optimism about the airline’s future, Arif Habib said the new management will focus on operational efficiency, fleet expansion and service improvements to make PIA a profitable and sustainable airline.
