Turkish Airlines has strongly refuted claims made by Pakistan’s Minister of State for Finance, Ali Pervaiz Malik, suggesting that the airline was interested in acquiring a stake in Pakistan International Airlines.
On September 24, Malik told a local news outlet that a Turkish airline had expressed interest in buying the state-owned PIA, which is currently up for sale. However, Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün dismissed the claim, stating that no such negotiations or initiatives were taking place.
“The news published in various media outlets claiming that our Incorporation is negotiating to acquire Pakistan International Airlines does not reflect the truth,” Üstün told ch-aviation. “Our Incorporation does not have any undertaking in this direction.”
The Pakistani government is in the final stages of selling a majority stake in PIA, which has been struggling financially for years. While several major airlines had initially shown interest in the carrier, none of them are on the government’s shortlist of pre-approved potential buyers. The government has shared the final draft of bid documents with the six pre-qualified bidders, with a deadline for final bids set for October 1.
