An audit report has disclosed that the national treasury incurred losses of Rs 9.43 billion over six years due to Pakistan International Airlines’ practice of issuing free and discounted tickets.
Between 2011 and 2016, more than 258,000 tickets were distributed at no cost, while an additional 116,000 tickets were sold at discounts of up to 95 percent.
The report highlighted that many of these concessions went to people with no official link to the airline.
Ticket Distribution Over the Years
- 2011: 58,861 free tickets
- 2012: 51,692 free tickets
- 2013: 56,815 free tickets
- 2014: 43,077 free tickets
- 2015: 21,816 free tickets
- 2016: 26,729 free tickets
The Auditor General of Pakistan observed that these discounts were granted without authorization from the PIA chairman or managing director.
Despite repeated reminders, no meeting was held to address the issue until 2023. The audit recommended an immediate end to the free ticket policy.
Policy Changes and Current Status
According to a PIA spokesperson, the practice was halted in 2018 after the Supreme Court banned free ticket distribution. The tickets had been issued earlier under an agent incentive scheme intended to boost sales.
The spokesperson also noted that the audit observations are nine years old and that reviews by the Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) fall under the authority of the relevant ministry. The spokesperson suggested that the renewed focus on the audit may stem from pressure exerted by certain interest groups.
Via: Samaa
Stay Connected with ProPakistani
Get the latest business news, market insights, and economic updates wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.
We all know that the public did not benefit from these free tickets, but ultimately paid for these. Therefore it is the right of the public to know who were the facilitators and benefactors. The supreme court should take notice and bring the names of these people to light and have them prosecuted accordingly.
Alas, we also know this will never happen in Pakistan.
This is the service of our public servents that they are eating each nations asset without any fear of accountability.
PIA servents ate PIA
WAPDA servents ate wapda
and you name it.
Their service is owner ( public who pay taxes and pay those loans which benifits mostly our servents and payments and privalliages) is suffering and the corupt present in public service are enjoying.
They have destroyed even health and education systems of the nation.
So need of the hour is to eliminate every corupt and criminal policy makers and its executer from public service.
Only those who serve public as servents indiscriminatly and with loyalty should allow to be part of our public service.
In sha Allah
Alhamdolilah
Excellent results of corruption, partiality and incompetency of relevant authorities.
In a government controlled organization ,
this level of mismanagement, federal
government should order FIA and NAB to
investigate and submit report.Responsible
People should be held accountable.
Who is Federal government? All corrupts A to Z. A country where even highest courts take dictations, can anyone do something? Here talk is about Rs. 10B. This country has lost in Trillions which all, I said all, Departments of State of Pakistan have eaten up.
You mean a corrupt Govt. order corrupt organizations like FIA,NAB etc to further catch the corrupt. Just wonder how would that work.
The objectionable factor is that the tickets were given to people with no official link to the airline.
Concessionary travel by staff is a standard feature of ALL airlines, even non-PIA airlines in Pakistan. It is one of the perks of working for an airline.
In any case, a staff member can ONLY travel if no revenue passenger is available, and the seat would have gone vacant anyway.
Also disclose the person particulars who did this unauthorized job, for public disclosure get it done swiftly.
Well Done Boys.
Pakistan Zindabad
Samaa reporting is biased as they want to launch another airline
The whole country is corrupt n thieves Alhamdu Lillah. Jiye Bhutto n Jiye Patwari
NATIONAL AIRLINE IN CRISES DUE TO THIS REASON. THEY DISTRIBUTED SO MANY TICKETS FREE. THIS IS A BIG LOSS.
Baap ka raaj hai mil baat ke khao aur phir mitti paao aur aage chalo. Phir khao phir mitti paao aur 78 guzar gaye 178 bhi guzar jayenge yehi rahega aur bhikari bheek mangta rahe ga.
It’s 9 year old data and now it’s hardly gave any fruit. The BoD Chairman and MD all are aware of. There was no corruption in it rather there are various schemes run by Airlines like points convert to air travel ticket for both passengers and travel agent.
A travel agent sold 100 tickets daily and get or two as bonus means 700 tickets he get yearly. So what if 1000s of agent did same.
People unnecessary get senti.
The free tickets to politicians and families are also a point to remember and that will be gone after privatisation. In IK era, this free ticket was abolished.
Its all nonsense. y audit report after six years for the period 2011-2016 in 2025. Fifteen years span auditors other responsible as well as policy makers may have passed away. This is not accountably by any means. Those responsible for annual audit, regulatory bodies and others including the board of directors be held responsible and investigated.
Data provided by the auditors to be questioned how they compiled these figures.
Is it with in the employees entitlement, sales promotion policy, Agent entitlement under IATA rules or out of way give away or pleasing tricks.
PIA has not come to this stage without lot of hard work like corruption political recruitment, misuse, corruption in purchases of aircraft, parts, posting and duties of staff in various countries and so on the list of corruption is so long it needs a book and that has led once top air line to lowest in list, hopefully we wake up, curb corruption, we fight back and decide to come back which is very much possible
PIA looted by haramies
30 yrs back I bought PIA shares after 2 yrs I was dishonored till 2025 I never ever received any reward ,dividend , or any benefit
Is it fair I m aboard last 46 year .
Where is justice in pakistan
Already wrote
Money should be recovered from MD ,Chairman and minister of that time
Ohf, that’s why all government department going to lost
To the best of my knowledge, let’s bring Saudi Arabian laws and let China to administering the “Pak” country.
All who took free tickets is haram, it’s burden over all Pakistanis, all these are ugly people, we want to get rid of all these culprits and haram khores…….
This has been going on for decades, and I have been commenting on this topic for decades including on WAPDA and Railways, and there may yet be other departments. These free lunches have incurred the national exchequer billions over all these years. If the entire amount is calculated since the creation of Pakistan, you would have been able to purchase many planes. However, neither then nor now, there will be any action. The reason: Those who are supposed to take action or reform the process may be among the beneficiaries.