Lahore: Punjab’s chief minister, Maryam Nawaz, has asked her father, Nawaz Sharif, for help rescuing the national flag carrier from bankruptcy by purchasing it and possibly rebranding it as a provincial government carrier.
The former prime minister suggested his daughter to set up additional discussions. There have been suggestions that the Sharif family could purchase Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Punjab government could rename it “Air Punjab.”
Also read: Blue World Consortium’s Bid for PIA Fails to Meet Reference Price
Nawaz said during a discussion in New York with party supporters, “Maryam said that we should buy PIA and name it ‘Air Punjab’ after making it the best airline.”
Blue World City, a real estate developer, submitted the highest bid of Rs. 10 billion to purchase PIA.
Blue World City bid Rs. 10 billion earlier this week to purchase a majority stake in PIA, which was less than the Rs. 85 billion reserve price set by the government. Despite being given 30 minutes to match the reserve price, the real estate developer declined to raise its bid.
Also read: KP Government Moves to Bid for PIA, Urges Federal Government to Consider Proposal
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT) stated on Friday that it would appreciate the opportunity to bid on the sale of PIA.