Latest news with #ZebJaffar
Express Tribune
19-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
PIA announces direct flight from Lahore to Paris
Listen to article Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced the commencement of direct flight operations from Lahore to Paris, beginning June 18. According to the PIA spokesperson, the new route will offer one weekly flight from Lahore to the French capital. PIA currently operates two weekly flights on the Islamabad–Paris route. The addition of the Lahore–Paris flight aims to enhance travel convenience for passengers and contribute to foreign exchange earnings, the national flag carrier said in a statement. Earlier this year, PIA resumed its European operations after a four-and-a-half-year hiatus, with flight PK-749 departing from Islamabad to Paris, carrying 330 passengers and 14 crew members. The inaugural ceremony at Islamabad International Airport was attended by Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat, and top officials from the Civil Aviation Authority and Pakistan Airport Authority. Earlier, Parliamentary Secretary Zeb Jaffar said that Pakistan International Airlines has been profitable since March 2024. During the National Assembly's Question Hour, Parliamentary Secretary Zeb Jaffar said PIA had recovered financially and had resumed flights to the European Union, including services to Paris.
Business Recorder
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PIA announces direct Lahore-Paris flight operation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced a direct flight operation from Lahore to Paris starting from June 18. The weekly flight will operate from Lahore to Paris, according to PIA management. The PIA is already operating two weekly flights from Islamabad to Paris. According to PIA, the new route is expected to provide travel convenience to passengers while also boosting foreign exchange earnings. Earlier, it was reported that PIA has been operating in profit since March 2024 as Parliamentary Secretary Zeb Jaffar informed the National Assembly during the Question Hour on Wednesday. Responding to a question from MNA Sharmila Faruqi, Zeb Jaffar stated that irresponsible statements made on the floor of the House in the past had damaged the reputation and business of the airline.
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Pakistan International Airlines launches direct flights from Lahore to Paris; to be operational from June 18
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced the launch of a direct flight from Lahore to Paris, starting June 18, ARY News reported. According to PIA management, the weekly flight will operate from Lahore to Paris. The PIA already operates two weekly flights from Islamabad to Paris. PIA has reportedly been operating profitably since March 2024, Parliamentary Secretary Zeb Jaffar highlighted at the National Assembly during the Question Hour on Wednesday. Responding to a question from MNA Sharmila Faruqi, Zeb Jaffar stated that irresponsible statements made on the floor of the House in the past had damaged the reputation and business of the airline. "The consequences of those remarks were felt by the country," she added. Jaffar said PIA has now resumed flights to the European Union, including two destinations in Europe, such as Paris. She futher mentioned that the government had engaged in dialogue with the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which paved the way for restarting flights to Paris. Talks with UK aviation authorities are also underway. According to ARY News, discussions are also ongoing with Turkish Airlines, which is expected to benefit Pakistani travellers. The government is actively working to expand PIA's network to profitable routes, including the Middle East and North Africa. She added that efforts to make the national airline more profitable are continuing, and their impact will become more visible in the coming months. Earlier, PIA introduced direct flights from Lahore to Baku, Azerbaijan. The flights will operate twice a week, departing every Saturday and Wednesday. To introduce the new route, PIA organised an event for travel agents and tour operators, providing them with flight details and benefits, as per ARY News. The direct air link will make it easier for people to travel between the two countries.
Business Recorder
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
NA informed: PIA records Rs9.35bn operational profit
ISLAMABAD: After years of financial freefall, the National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) recorded an operational profit of Rs9.35 billion and a net profit of Rs26.20 billion – after deferred tax adjustments – for the 2024 financial year, marking a significant turnaround from persistent past losses. In a written reply to questions asked by lawmakers, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif detailed the financial contours of PIA's performance. The airline, he said, spent Rs198.8 billion over the year, with fuel (Rs75.58 billion), aircraft maintenance (Rs17.48 billion), and landing and handling charges (Rs29.42 billion) comprising the lion's share. Pakistan International Airlines returns to profit after 21 years Salaries and wages absorbed Rs17.24 billion, lease rentals Rs7.9 billion, depreciation Rs12.1 billion, and aircraft insurance Rs5.4 billion. The balance went to various passenger service and selling expenses, among other costs. Despite these outlays, the airline's bottom line improved, even as its total liabilities – both domestic and international – remained a hefty Rs187.28 billion. Auditing of the year-end financial statements was jointly undertaken by Grant Thornton and BDO Chartered Accountants. Zeb Jaffar, the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence said that PIA had been operating in the black since March 2024. She laid blame for the airline's prior reputational woes on Ghulam Sarwar Khan's – a former minister for aviation – 'irresponsible' remarks, which, she claimed, had inflicted damage both reputational and financial. She said those challenges appear to be easing, as PIA has resumed flights to Europe – including Paris – after successful talks with the EU Aviation Safety Agency, while negotiations with British and Turkish aviation authorities remain underway. Expansion remains a government priority, she said, noting the airline is eyeing new routes across the Middle East and North Africa in pursuit of sustainable profitability. 'Efforts to revitalise the national flag carrier are underway, and their results will become more visible in the coming months,' said Jaffar. Back on the ground, another institution struggling with management is the Parliament Lodges – official residences for Members of the National Assembly and Senate. During the session, a chorus of lawmakers decried what they described as squalid conditions, mismanagement, and a chronic lack of accountability in the lodges' upkeep. Mukhtar Ahmad Malik clarified that the Capital Development Authority (CDA), frequently blamed for the decline, merely implements budgets and allocations decided by the Parliament's House and Library Committee. Nonetheless, Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah conceded that the CDA's performance had been 'far from exemplary,' pointing to prior suspensions of senior officials for mismanagement. A staggering 51 MNAs, he noted, currently have no official accommodation. To address this, the government plans to outsource lodge facilities management on a probationary basis before considering a longer-term contract. Tendering will proceed following Planning Division approval. Veteran Pakistan People's Party (PPP) lawmaker Naveed Qamar endorsed the outsourcing move, suggesting that private management could improve service quality without increasing costs. MNA Noor Alam Khan of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was less restrained, criticising the wasteful deployment of roughly 200 CDA staff and the misuse of amenities such as the gym, which he claimed is often accessed by non-members. He also pointed to rent-paying legislators being treated shabbily compared to perk-enjoying employees. Other parliamentarians called for a fairer allotment process. MNA Syed Waseem proposed reallocating rooms from ministers now residing in the Ministers' Colony to currently displaced MNAs. Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry echoed concerns, noting that the long-delayed construction of additional housing – pending since 2008 – was essential to resolving the space crunch. The deputy speaker wrapped up proceedings with a modest concession to order: janitorial services at the lodges are to be outsourced, in hopes of lifting at least one burden from the shoulders of Parliament's increasingly disgruntled residents. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
14-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
PIA back in profit, eyes UK routes and Turkish Airlines partnership
Listen to article Pakistan's national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has been operating profitably since March 2024, a government official told the parliament on Wednesday. During the National Assembly's Question Hour, Parliamentary Secretary Zeb Jaffar said PIA had recovered financially and had resumed flights to the European Union, including services to Paris. Responding to a query from MNA Sharmila Faruqi, Jaffar noted that damaging remarks made previously on the floor of the House had negatively impacted the airline's performance and reputation. 'The consequences of those remarks were felt by the country,' she said. He was referring to a controversial statement made in parliament by former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which resulted in a ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to multiple countries. Jaffar confirmed that renewed engagement with the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had enabled PIA to restart flights to Europe. She added that discussions with UK aviation regulators were also progressing. Talks are also under way with Turkish Airlines to enhance international connectivity for Pakistani passengers, she said. The government aims to expand PIA's operations to profitable destinations, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. Jaffar emphasised that these efforts are ongoing and their results will become more evident in the coming months. PIA has also launched direct flights from Lahore to Azerbaijan's Baku, as part of its ongoing push to strengthen international air links and promote tourism. Last month, PIA reported its first annual profit in 21 years and marked a significant turnaround as it moved forward with plans to sell the airline According to documents seen by Bloomberg, PIA recorded earnings per share of Rs5.01 for the year ending in December, its first profitable year since 2003, based on audited financial statements.
