Final bidding for a 51-100% stake in PIA - Pakistan International Airlines (PK, Islamabad International) has been pushed out to late December 2025, as four prequalified bidders continue in advanced negotiations over share purchase and shareholders’ agreements, privatisation committee chairman Farooq Sattar told lawmakers. The federal cabinet will approve the reserve price ahead of the bidding, he added. The state’s deadline for bidders to acquire a stake in the struggling airline has suffered repeated delays as the government grapples with stumbling blocks such as the airline's debt burden and a lawsuit attempting to block the sale. The state expects the successful bidder to spend PKR60 billion to PKR70 billion Pakistani rupees (USD212-248 million) over five years to support the carrier's recovery once the sale has been agreed.