Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is considering launching a new airline called “Air Punjab,” according to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif. Speaking to the media in London after his return from the U.S. on Saturday night, Sharif shared that Maryam proposed the idea of establishing an airline named Air Punjab.
“I told her we could also consider purchasing PIA,” Sharif said, noting the government’s ongoing efforts to sell a stake in the loss-making national airline.
The envisioned Air Punjab airline would offer direct flights from Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar to major cities like New York and Tokyo, among other international destinations.
Sharif also criticized former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar, appointed during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, for allegedly harming PIA’s reputation by publicly questioning the licenses of its pilots.
The privatization process for PIA began on October 31, with only one bid submitted for a stake in the airline. Saad Nazir, chairman of real-estate firm Blue World City, offered Rs10 billion—significantly lower than the Privatization Commission’s target of Rs85.03 billion.
