ISLAMABAD: The government can now go ahead with the privatization of the national airline after the Supreme Court of Pakistan withdrew its injunction on Thursday.
The case related to the privatization of the national airline was heard by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan.
The Additional Attorney General (AAG) told the court that the privatization process was initiated following previous court orders allowing the airline’s management to hire new professionals. However, due to the privatization plan, recruitments were at a standstill.
The AAG also said restrictions on the carrier’s flight operations have been lifted, allowing the airline to operate without disruption.
Justice Aminuddin remarked that resuming the privatization process now could potentially fetch higher rates for the airline.
Meanwhile, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhel questioned whether the government could risk violating the Supreme Court’s previous order that required the privatization process to be conducted transparently and with the confidence of the court.
The Additional Attorney General assured the court that the application has been filed to gain confidence in the privatization process. Justice Mandukhel advised the government to carry out the process efficiently and with good faith.
The court later, while disposing of the petition, withdrew its earlier order to stay the privatization of the national airline.
The federal government’s bid to privatize the national airline hit a snag after the sole bidder offered much less than expected, forcing it to rethink the privatization process.
However, in positive news for the carrier, the European Union (EU) lifted the ban on the national airline from flying to various European destinations after a gap of four years.