Govt unaware of Askari Air owner

ISLAMABAD: The government Thursday failed in the Senate to make an explanation with regards application for the issuance of licence to the private airlines, namely Askari Air Pakistan, as it did not know who owns it and whether or not it belonged to Pakistan military.

During the question hour, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab did not know who owned the Askari Air Pakistan and assured the Senate that he would inform it after finding out who owned the private airline.

In reply to a question asked by PPP, Senator Dr Karim Khawaja said it transpired that four private air lines had applied for licences to operate in the country and these were Askari Air Pakistan, United Airways Pakistan Ltd, Liberty Air and Afeef Zara Airways.

On a supplementary question, Senator Farhatullah Babar asked whether the Askari Air Pakistan was owned by the same outfit about which the Senate had been informed last year that it owned over fifty industrial, commercial, business and real estate enterprises throughout the country.  Sheikh Aftab who was replying on behalf of the Minister for Aviation said that he was unaware as to who owned it but said that he will find out and inform the House.

Senator Col (R) Tahir Mashadi, who was presiding over the Senate session at that time, remarked that the as far as he knows, Askari was always being used by the army institution.”But it will be proper to get information about it and inform the house,” he told Sheikh Aftab. The minister said licences are processed in accordance with the civil aviation rules and the National Aviation Policy and that recently it had given licence to Air Sial Limited to conduct operations in Pakistan