Most have applauded the announcement of privatisation. One user sarcastically tweeted to give PIA to the army, 'they are looking to occupy everything that Pakistan has'.
The US Transportation Department earlier this month separately notified PIA it was halting all operations after Pakistan said that 262 of its pilots had fake certificates.
PIA has been wracked by years of financial losses and on 22 May suffered a fatal crash in which 98 people died after pilots tried to touchdown without lowering the landing gear.
After abrupt descent that unnerved air-traffic controllers, crew of PIA jet briefly put it on runway with wheels still up, grinding along on its two engines.
In tactical terms, the shirtless protest was worse than a self-goal. Suddenly, the fiascos of the AI Summit were forgotten, and the Youth Congress’s disruption became the issue.
IAF is fine with accepting the aircraft with 'must-haves', even if some other steps remain pending, which may take at least another year, it is learnt.
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