✈️ PIA Free Ticket Scandal: Audit Exposes Rs9.43 Billion Loss
Thousands of Free & Discounted PIA Tickets Issued
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) once again finds itself in the spotlight as an audit has revealed shocking details about the misuse of free and discounted tickets.
According to the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), between 2011 and 2016, over 258,000 free tickets were issued, alongside 116,000 heavily discounted tickets—causing the national treasury a loss of Rs9.43 billion.
How the Free Ticket Scandal Unfolded
In 2011, 58,861 free tickets were issued.
2012 saw another 51,692 tickets distributed.
The figures climbed to 56,815 in 2013 and 43,077 in 2014.
By 2015, the number dropped to 21,816, but rose again to 26,729 in 2016.
What makes the revelation more troubling is that many tickets were issued to people who weren’t even PIA employees. The AGP noted that discounts were granted without approval from the chairman or managing director.
Delays in Accountability
The report highlights that despite repeated reminders, no Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) meeting was held until 2023. The AGP has now recommended the complete abolition of free ticket schemes.
PIA’s Response
A PIA spokesperson clarified that the free ticket policy was scrapped in 2018 after a Supreme Court order, adding that such tickets were part of an agent incentive scheme designed to boost sales.
The spokesperson also hinted that the revival of this nine-year-old audit report might be linked to political or external pressure.
Why This Matters
This revelation reignites public anger over mismanagement in Pakistan’s national airline, already burdened by financial crises. With billions lost, questions remain about who benefited from these tickets and why accountability took so long.