1,000 surplus employees laid off by Pak's flag carrier PIA

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has laid off nearly 1,000 surplus employees in a bid to reduce its operational costs, said PIA president and Chief Executive Air Marshal Arshad Malik on Friday.

The announcement was made during a meeting with Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, who is the Advisor to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Finance, according to Dawn.

During the meeting, the PIA Chief Executive outlined the various measures undertaken by Pakistan's national flag carrier in order to reduce costs and increase revenues. The Advisor to the Prime Minister, in response, told PIA that the government wanted the airline to "effectively utilise its assets, improve revenue streams and ensure efficiency and financial discipline," as per the Pakistani daily.

The Advisor to Prime Minister also highlighted the need for PIA to pursue an independent corporate plan in order to achieve sustainability while overcoming difficulties.

This came after the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the Aviation Division in Islamabad on Tuesday. PIA's business plan and requirements, amongst other things, were discussed during the meeting.