Arif Habib Consortium Eyes Full PIA Ownership With 25pc Stake Bid

The Arif Habib-led consortium has formally notified the Privatisation Commission of its intent to acquire the remaining 25 per cent stake in Pakistan International Airlines, signalling a move toward complete private ownership of the national carrier. The notification marks a significant procedural step in the ongoing PIA privatisation process, which has been a centrepiece of the government's broader divestment agenda under its economic reform programme.

The consortium had previously emerged as the successful bidder in the earlier privatisation round, and this latest notification suggests the group is now seeking to consolidate its position by absorbing the residual government shareholding. The move would, if completed, effectively transfer full operational and strategic control of PIA to private hands.

The Privatisation Commission is expected to evaluate the notification and determine the procedural pathway for the acquisition, including any regulatory approvals required under the applicable privatisation framework. PIA's privatisation has been a longstanding condition tied to Pakistan's engagement with the International Monetary Fund, which has pressed Islamabad to reduce state exposure to loss-making public enterprises.

The airline has faced years of financial distress, operational inefficiency, and mounting debt, making its full privatisation a high-stakes test of the government's credibility on structural reform. Completion of the acquisition would represent one of the most consequential asset transfers in Pakistan's privatisation history.