Pakistan, Dec. 23 -- Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), once celebrated worldwide for its service, punctuality, and professionalism, now enters a new chapter through privatization. Yet PIA is more than a struggling airline-it is history, vision, and a dream that once flew across the globe. In an era when many airlines were still finding their footing, PIA led Asia, earning praise such as the famous words of a U.S. First Lady: "Great People to Fly With."

PIA's story begins with Pakistan's earliest confidence and vision. After inheriting the Orient Airways fleet in 1947, PIA officially became the national airline in 1955. Despite limited resources, it connected East and West Pakistan, covering 2,253 km in hours instead of days by rail ...