LAHORE: Aviation and Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique has unequivocally denied that the government has any plans to sell the Roosevelt Hotel in the United States, owned by the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

He told a press conference here on Saturday that propaganda was being made by a news channel about the sale of Roosevelt Hotel.

“No such plan is even under consideration,” he declared.

The minister also rejected the reports that Pakistan’s flag had been removed from the Roosevelt Hotel and clarified that the national flag was hoisted there only when any head of state stayed there. Otherwise, only two flags -- one of the US and the other of the hotel -- are hoisted there, he added.

He said the hotel had been closed during the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government tenure due to some reasons. He said the PIA’s current administration had sought permission for repairs of the hotel rooms and making it operational earn money to reduce its financial burden of $25 million.

The aviation minister said the the government was struggling to save the PIA from downfall, adding that discussions with the European and American institutions were in progress to get rid of the sanctions, imposed on PIA by these countries after an uncalled far statement of a former minister.

“The PIA is facing a loss of Rs40 billion per year due to an irresponsible statement of a former minister of PTI,” he said. He said the PIA had recently earned Rs2.14 billion from a joint venture with the Turkish Airlines, adding that a proposal from the Emirates Airline for a joint venture was under consideration and if materialised the venture would be beneficial both for the PIA as well as the country.

The minister said that during the current fiscal year, the PIA was expected to earn Rs170bn in revenue. He said the number of the PIA planes had been reduced from 43 to 27 and the current administration was trying to increase the number up to at least 40.

He said that two Boeing 777 planes were being renovated for their induction in the PIA fleet soon.

He said three more trains would be restored, including Green Line, Pakistan Express and a passenger train between Pind Dadan Khan and Malakwal. Introduction of a special luggage train was also under consideration, he added.

About fare increase, he said that the fares of trains would be reduced with the reduction in petroleum prices.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2022