Allowing foreign airlines on domestic routes to hurt local carriers, says Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Former Chairman Senate and senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party Senator Mian Raza Rabbani has reacted strongly to media reports of a foreign carrier being granted domestic flying rights, and said that the government, not satisfied with the colonization and surrender of sovereignty to the IMF and other international donors, now wants to grant domestic flying rights to a foreign carrier.

“Pakistan would be perhaps the first country in the world to allow a foreign carrier to operate on its domestic routes raising questions over breach of national security, as there are certain air corridors which are reserved for the armed forces and very rarely used by PIA.”

The PPP senator was reacting to the media reports that the national airline has worked out an agreement with Air Arabia, allowing it to operate domestic flights in Pakistan. Rabbani said the introduction of the foreign carrier will adversely affect the domestic routes of PIA, which is already suffering because its traffic to Saudi Arabia and the Middle East has been compromised by foreign carriers. “Domestic airlines such as Serene Air, Air Sial, and others which are in the process of being granted or already granted licenses will also suffer adversely,” he said.

The former chairman Senate demanded that a deeper investigation into the hands behind such a move will perhaps reveal crony capitalists behind it. This amounts to deliberately inflicting heavy losses to Pakistani business at the hands of foreign companies. He said the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation should immediately call a meeting on this issue and make its recommendations.