Islamabad, Federal Minister for Privatization, Board of Investment and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan announced that eight major business groups have submitted their expressions of interest (EOIs) for the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), signaling a significant step forward in the airline’s privatization process.

According to Privatisation Commission, the submission phase for EOIs concluded successfully with entries from notable groups including Fly Jinnah, Air Blue Limited, and Gerry’s International Private Limited, among others. These EOIs, presented by both individual entities and consortia, have moved on to the pre-qualification stage governed by the PC Ordinance 2000. The Minister noted that these submissions were completed within the allotted timeframe and that the Privatization Commission would soon invite qualified bidders to participate in the next phase of the bidding process.

In a related event, Minister Abdul Aleem Khan inaugurated the 3-Day Pakistan Lifestyle Furniture Expo in Islamabad, where he highlighted the quality and competitiveness of Pakistani products on the global stage, particularly in the furniture sector. Emphasizing the potential of the medium and small industries, he expressed optimism about their ability to capture market share internationally, which could significantly boost Pakistan’s foreign exchange and employment sectors. The Minister commended the expo’s organizers and affirmed his support for promoting Pakistani furniture both domestically and abroad.