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Lt Gen (Retd) Anwar Ali Hyder Appointed Chairman of Newly Privatized PIA

Lt Gen (retd) Anwar Ali Hyder has been appointed as the first Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) following the transfer of management control to the Arif Habib Corporation-led consortium.

This is a bold and new chapter for the country’s flag carrier under private ownership.

The appointment was announced after the successful first financial closing of the PIA privatization transaction, through which the investor consortium officially assumed management control of the airline.

Hyder, who also serves as the Managing Director of Fauji Foundation, will lead the board of the newly privatized airline as it embarks on an ambitious transformation plan backed by fresh private investment.

Addressing the occasion, Hyder said the airline’s ownership structure may have changed, but its responsibility towards the people of Pakistan remains unchanged.

He added that PIA would preserve its legacy while evolving into a modern, premium airline focused on improving passenger experience, expanding its network, and delivering operational excellence.

The appointment follows the completion of the first phase of the privatization transaction, under which the consortium made an initial payment to the government and injected fresh capital into PIACL to strengthen its finances, modernize its fleet, and support growth efforts.

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  • See, whether it is natinal or private, they dont have any capable Civilian to run PIA. What a pity….Arif Habib is the same category….feeding retired……

  • Ahhh yes lt gen . The most accomplished in airline tech and airports

    Can we make the local Chai wala as next caos. I heard he’s really qualified

  • What is the relevance of a retired General appointment as chairman PIA with no commercial aviation or for that matter aviation experience. The solution of everything in this country is a highly paid General.

  • It would have been much much better if it was handed over to Emirates or Qatar airways to operate and manage it. These two airlines are the sky ruling airlines. They would have done much better as compared to these foujis who could not even bring Pakistan on it right track.

  • Habib sahib, pta nai app kya ho gya ya mat he mari gye jo 1 Matric bandy ky haath itna barra setup dy dya.

    Puchtio gy app, kuch he dino mein,

  • ProPakistani should do some research and publish the names of organizations and offices, public or private, headed by retired army men. Going by the content of the seven comments posted here by now (mine is 8th), it is clear that all readers have disapproved this and such other appointments that should otherwise have gone to competent civilians.

  • So the fever to appoint only ex Army men for such high profile portfolio continues.

    Let’s shut our universities, colleges, schools and wait for army to run the country… for heaven’s sake come out of 1946 slavery mode and live in AI era where retd Army men have no space for reach and every dept except serving ego of few lunatics.

  • It is our pray that anwar ali haider work as a chairman like same as noor khan who made PIA one of the most established airline of world, so new chairman should bring the PIA rikshaws flying in the air into gentle airline

    • Noor Khan was Air Marshal, who knew what flying was.
      Anwar Ali Haider is from army, what experience he has of flying.??

  • What experience this general posses to. Head a commercial airline. This slap on the fae of meritocracy in the age of specialization.

    Let the airline fly turbulently with no real professional change in structures and pocesses

  • Was there no civilian available? It is a private airline now. How much does this general know about airline business?

  • Why in every dept’ a civil govt or a private organization a retd army officer is induced? Why not the desrving civil personal are appointed as chairman. Army has a mindset to rule only, they will prefer there own favouritees in all those depts’ where they are reemployed and thus deprive the rightful opportunity of civil.

  • OMG. He doesn’t have the knowledge or Experience for this highly challenging sector, never thought that a private consortium would start making same mistake which has been repeated in past 75years. RIP

  • Find a civilian guy for the post of PIA chairman post. Why the hell civilians are being deprived of their rights. Retired personnel from public organisation or military should not be recruited and civilian experienced personnel should hold these kind of positions.

  • Wat would the israelis and indians be thinking about us? … even chinese? Or iranis …

    Now we are in limelite in world affairs and should avoid making such blunders.

    It would be best to pay general sab all salary in advance and replace with a competent aviation expert.

  • I m really wondering that how could airlines like Qatar. Emirates. KLM, Singapore, Turkish, Malaysian be competitive n top in the world ranking without being headed by a General.

  • Now it is clear why Fauji Foundation retracted it’s bid at the last moment and join the consortium

  • Bus ye private PIA bi ab khasare me hi jaye gi dekh lena ap sub pata nahi pakistan me ku retired logo ko posts de di jatien hein ku ye jaan nahi cchorte, young logo ko moqa dena chahiye aur civilian ko dena chhaiye bus lekin bus safarshein kerwa ker aa hi jate hein ye log afos hota he muje pakistan ki ye halat dekh ker

  • بجائے جوان Professional کو CEO لگانے کے،
    وھی پرانے اور دقیانوسی جنرل کو لگانے سے پتہ چل گیا کہ PIA میں بہتری نہیں آنے کی
    اللہ پاک قومی ائیر لائن پر رحم فرمائے

  • Actually P.I.A. is not owned by Arif Habib group, the back door owner are FAUJI Foundation, so naturally P.I.A. should be headed by its virtual owner.

  • Bhailog have occupied all the key posts in this poor nation. What else is left now except a nation with no future

  • Arif habib consortium should have appointed a seasoned foreign industry expert as CEO just like Emirates & others. No disrespect for the Army, but appointing retired generals at every key position is not a wise decision.


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