Islamabad, December 23, 2025: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday congratulated the nation on the successful conduct of the bidding process for the privatisation of 75 percent shares of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), terming it a major milestone in the government’s economic reform agenda.
In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the prime minister said that upon assuming office he had promised to initiate concrete steps for the privatisation of state-owned enterprises, and the PIA transaction marked a significant achievement in that direction. “This process of PIA’s privatisation is a very important milestone,” he said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif noted that, by the grace of Allah, the entire bidding process was conducted in an extremely transparent manner. He added that the privatisation of PIA and other state-owned enterprises would play a vital role in further stabilising Pakistan’s economy.
The prime minister said the successful bidding reflected renewed investor confidence in the national economy, adding that PIA’s privatisation stood as clear evidence of this trust. With the cooperation of all state institutions, he said, the national economy was steadily moving towards stability.
He also commended the collective efforts of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Adviser on Privatisation Muhammad Ali, the Privatisation Commission, and other concerned officials and institutions for their role in ensuring the success of the process.
Reaffirming the government’s resolve, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that national development, economic prosperity and public welfare would be ensured through strong partnerships with the private sector, underlining the government’s continued commitment to structural reforms and sustainable growth.
