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LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has been moved against PLM-N led coalition government’s alleged decision to sell 51 percent shares of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and handing over the administrative control of the national flag carrier and the Islamabad International Airport to Qatar.
Nabeel Ahmad Kahloon filed the petition, alleging during a recent visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Qatar, aforementioned deal has been struck.
The petitioner asked the court to declare the impugned deals by the government regarding sale of the PIA shares and surrendering administrative control of the Islamabad airport to Qatar as illegal.
The petitioner said that the Qatari government would also be given shares of the PIA’s Roosevelt Hotel in New York’s Manhattan in return for the investment. The investment would be received through state-to-state agreements between Pakistan and Qatar, he added
He stated, as per reports, Qatar expressed its interest in making investments in the airport and hotel sectors. He said that under the “deal” the federal government would hand over administrative affairs of the Islamabad International Airport to Qatar, whereas a Qatari company would provide the relevant services of the airport’s terminal and cargo.
He further submitted that the worth of Islamabad airport’s land is around Rs4 trillion, besides the revenue being generated out of it. He argued that the government, while signing such a deal with the gulf country should keep the commercial potential of the land in mind.
