———- Says the new airline to be developed in collaboration with private investors
———- Informs citizens of launching new air line for the positive portrayal of Punjab
———- Adds thorough work is underway for effectively building new airline
By Abid Usman
LAHORE: Punjab government announced its decision to launch a new airline named ‘Air Punjab’ on Sunday.
Senior provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that, following the directives of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, work will soon commence on the feasibility of establishing ‘Air Punjab’.
However, she clarified that recent reports regarding the government’s plans to purchase Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are unfounded and should be disregarded.
The new airline is set to be developed in collaboration with private investors, and there is also an option being considered for provincial government shares in the venture.
Meanwhile, the government’s first serious attempt to privatise the Pakistan International Airlines fell through on Thursday when the sole bidder offered the Rs10 billion final price against the minimum sale price of Rs85 billion.
Earlier, Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed that the provincial government had adopted anti-smog measures since March, soon after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz assumed office in February this year, saying smog prevention is a long process.
“Smog prevention roadmap was given to all sectors and a well-thought-out stagey has been devised to counter impact of the smog in short-term as well as eradicate it in the long run,” said Marriyum Aurangzeb said while talking to a private TV channel here.
As a senior Punjab minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb holds multiple portfolios including environment protection and climate change.
Several parts of Punjab, especially Lahore has been battling thick smog for the past few weeks and the provincial metropolis has been on the list of world’s 10 most polluted cities.
On Monday night, Lahore was the most polluted city in the world, touching 708 points on the Air Quality Index (AQI) while Wednesday, according to IQAir, Delhi stayed atop with 196 points, with Lahore just six points behind it.
Marriyum, speak about the steps being taken by Punjab to curb smog across the province, said that not much work was done to prevent smog at the government level in the past, claiming the incumbent government has been working on war footing to curb smog.
“I am not sitting in the offices and giving orders, I myself went to the field and destroyed the kilns,” she said, commenting about raiding brick kilns that remain one of the major causes of smog in the province.
She maintained that it is CM Maryam’s vision to convert all conventional vehicles in Lahore to electric. “At least 200 to 250 electric buses are needed in Lahore.”
