Islamabad, January 7,2026: The Senate Standing Committee on Defence on Wednesday expressed serious concern over inflated airfares for flights to Quetta and the suspension of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) services to Chitral, calling for urgent corrective measures to protect public interest.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood, was convened to consider a point of public importance referred by the House regarding excessive airfares on the Quetta route and to receive a briefing by PIA on flight operations to and from Chitral. Senators Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Umer Farooq, and Atta-ul-Haq attended the meeting.
The Committee welcomed the privatization of PIA and appreciated efforts to inject substantial funds into the national flag carrier under private-sector operational management. Chairman Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood remarked that governments are not meant to run businesses and said privatization would help save significant public funds previously spent on bailout packages. He expressed hope that professional management would restore PIA’s efficiency and former stature.
The Committee voiced grave concern over the discontinuation of PIA flights to and from Chitral. It was informed that the suspension was due to a shortage of aircraft, with only two ATR aircraft currently operational. Officials briefed the Committee that, following privatization and financial support, priority is being given to repairing grounded aircraft, including ATRs, to resume services on the Chitral route. The Secretary Defence assured members that recommendations are being conveyed to the consortium managing PIA to revive the route.
The Committee was also briefed on proposals to promote tourism in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan through coordination between the Green Tourism initiative and the Ministry of Defence, which could enhance route viability. Plans under consideration include introducing chartered helicopter services and integrating Chitral flights with chartered operations. The Chairman strongly recommended increasing flight frequency and urged the initiation of at least one to two weekly flights, stressing that certain routes are strategic and should not be judged solely on commercial profitability.
On the issue of inflated airfares to Quetta, Committee members expressed strong reservations and called for the introduction of a fare capping mechanism. They noted that residents of Balochistan face significant hardship due to excessive ticket prices. While officials stated that airfares are generally governed by market forces of supply and demand, the Secretary Defence assured the Committee that a capping mechanism would be developed to curb fare inflation. The Chairman directed that relevant facilitative provisions be incorporated into airline agreements to safeguard the interests of the people of Balochistan.
The Committee also highlighted deficiencies in the existing airport protocol system and called for improvements. Authorities assured the establishment of separate counters and fine-tuning of protocol arrangements. Additionally, concerns were raised over the validity period of airport passes and the poor condition of airport restroom facilities. The Committee urged the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) and other stakeholders to upgrade airport services to international standards.
Members were informed that the Federal Cabinet has recently approved the outsourcing of services at three major airports to improve service delivery. The Chairman directed that the validity of airport passes be extended from one year to two years to reduce inconvenience for users.
In addition, the Committee received an in-camera briefing on the security situation along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border and on the recently signed Defence Agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The Committee appreciated the developments and lauded the Defence Agreement, while also urging the Federal Minister for Defence to regularly attend meetings of the Standing Committee.
