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PIA privatization: Government will sell majority stakes in national airlines

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As the PIA privatization process draws to an end, the Privatization Commission will determine how many shares the government sells, according to Bilal Azhar Kayani, the Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Economy and Energy, during an appearance on the program “KHABAR.”

He claimed that the government was thinking of selling the national flag carrier for anywhere from 51% to 100% of its shares.
According to Kayani, the organization that purchases the majority of the shares will take over administrative authority of the PIA.

The leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) claimed that multiple nations and international corporations have expressed interest in purchasing PIA, adding that the privatization process was moving along nicely.

He stated that although the affairs concerning the retired employees of PIA were transferred to the PIA Holding Company, this would not impede the retired employees’ pension payments.
Kayani stated that a policy pertaining to serving employees will be developed shortly and that the federal government was currently working to resolve the issues surrounding these individuals.

A day prior, all of the national airline’s losses and debts were transferred to the withholding business prior to its privatization, and as a result, the federal government paid off all of PIA’s obligations, debt, and arrears.

According to officials, the clearing of PIA’s balance statement has been communicated to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

Additionally, by May 3, the government is inviting bids from potential purchasers for the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines.

Shares of the national flag carrier had an almost 650% increase in value during PSX trading after the PIA underwent reforms.

The price of PIA shares increased from Rs4.50 to Rs32 in recent weeks. The value of PIA’s shares increased recently from Rs27 to Rs32.

Market analysts claim that investors’ increased confidence following the PIA reform process is the reason for the share price increase.

Pakistan International Airlines rose to the 70th position among Pakistan’s shareholders with a share value of Rs32.

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The amount of trade between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan hits $700 million.

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Through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Pakistan’s trade connections with Saudi Arabia have grown significantly, with bilateral trade volume rising from $546 million to $700 million and exports to the Kingdom growing by 22%.

As bilateral economic cooperation continues to grow, Saudi investors have shown a strong interest in Pakistan’s construction, energy, agricultural, and information technology sectors. The objective for exporting IT services between the two countries has been raised from $50 million to $100 million.

Saudi Arabia has set up a help desk dedicated to making it easier for Pakistani IT companies to register in the Kingdom in order to expedite commercial procedures. The goal of this program is to speed up economic collaborations between the two countries and lower administrative barriers.

The well-known Saudi restaurant chain AlBaik has revealed plans to open locations in Pakistan, which is a big step for the food service industry and should lead to the creation of new job possibilities in the area.

Officials have noted that stronger business links between the two countries lead to greater economic stability, and the SIFC has played a crucial role in promoting these trade advancements. For bilateral trade and investment projects, the Council remains a crucial facilitator.

According to a trade official with knowledge of the developments, “the establishment of dedicated support mechanisms, such as the help desk for IT companies, demonstrates a commitment to long-term economic partnership,” The goal of these programs is to improve the conditions for commercial collaboration between the two nations.

The increasing amount of trade and the diversity of investment sectors show that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s economic ties are changing as both countries seek to deepen their business alliances in a number of industries.

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After more than 50 years, Bangladesh and Pakistan resume direct trade.

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After more than 50 years, the two governments will resume direct bilateral trade, with Bangladesh’s food ministry announcing Sunday that it will receive a supply of 25,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan next month.

After former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown last August, relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have begun to improve after decades of tense relations.

Since then, there have been increased bilateral interactions between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the interim government’s senior adviser, has met twice with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to the food ministry, Dhaka completed an agreement earlier this month to import grains from Pakistan.

“On March 3, the first shipment of 25,000 tonnes will reach Bangladesh,” Zia Uddin Ahmed, a ministry assistant secretary, told Arab News.

“This is the first time that Bangladesh has started importing rice from Pakistan at the government-to-government level since 1971.”

Following direct maritime contact between the two South Asian countries in November—a Pakistani cargo ship stopped in Bangladesh for the first time since 1971 with imports and exports arranged by private companies—their trade relations grew.

Resuming trade with Pakistan is a significant step for Bangladesh, according to Amena Mohsin, a lecturer at North South University and a specialist in international relations.

“We want to see progress in our bilateral relationship with Pakistan. Most significantly, we are currently going through a low point dispute with India, even though we constantly diversify our partnerships.

This most recent move to purchase rice from Pakistan is really significant in this context,” she told Arab News.

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The total amount of Pakistan’s liquid foreign reserves is $15.95 billion.

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As of February 14, Pakistan’s total liquid foreign reserves were $15,947.9 million, with the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) holdings being $11,201.5 million.

Official figures for the week ending February 14, 2025, show that the central bank’s liquid foreign exchange reserves rose by $35 million to $11,201.5 million.

Commercial banks maintained net foreign reserves of $4,746.4 million during the period under review, according to the breakdown of foreign reserves.

The nation’s total liquid foreign reserves as of the week ending February 07, 2025, were $15,862.6 million.

Of these, the central bank held $11,166.6 million in foreign reserves, while commercial banks kept $4,696 million in net reserves.

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