{"id":1474,"date":"2026-01-12T19:35:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T14:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/?p=1474"},"modified":"2026-01-12T19:35:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T14:35:37","slug":"after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>KARACHI: Fresh from acquiring a controlling stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), prominent businessman Arif Habib has set his sights on Pakistan\u2019s blue economy and the National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), signalling an intent to tap the country\u2019s underdeveloped maritime potential.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Speaking to journalists at Naya Nazimabad Gymkhana on Sunday, the 73-year-old industrialist revealed that the new PNSC management has invited him for discussions about the future corporation.<\/p>\n<p>The sustainable commercial utilisation of ocean resources is a largely untapped frontier for Pakistan, with an estimated potential of over USD100 billion. Currently, the sector contributes less than 0.5 percent to the national GDP.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, there are reports that PNSC has planned to grow its fleet from the current 10 vessels to 54 ships by 2030 to grab the major chunk of an estimated USD6 billion annually, being paid as foreign freight charges to international shipping lines.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Roadmap to revive PIA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Arif Habib also outlined his roadmap for reviving PIA, informing that the airline\u2019s entire fleet of 34 aircraft would be serviceable by September 2026. Currently, only 17 of PIA\u2019s aircraft are operational, he added.<\/p>\n<p>His consortium, which completed the acquisition of a 75percent stake in PIA for Rs 135 billion ($482 million), will assume control in April 2026 and immediately begin implementing a comprehensive turnaround strategy.<\/p>\n<p>The privatisation marks Pakistan\u2019s most significant sale of a state-owned enterprise in years, as the cash-strapped government moves to shed loss-making entities that have drained the national treasury.<\/p>\n<p>Arif Habib, who revolutionised Pakistan\u2019s stock market four decades ago, brings a track record of successful modernisation to what many consider an impossible task.<\/p>\n<p>His involvement with PIA began in 2016 when he was elected to the airline\u2019s board, witnessing firsthand the carrier\u2019s deterioration.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPIA\u2019s problems had been building for years,\u201d Habib explained. \u201cThe airline accumulated massive debts as successive governments provided annual loan guarantees, allowing borrowing to spiral out of control. Heavy interest payments compounded the problem, creating a cycle of increasing liabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>An initial privatisation attempt failed due to management system issues and unfavourable economic conditions. However, recent improvements in Pakistan\u2019s economic outlook\u2014including reduced interest rates, rupee appreciation against the dollar, and controlled oil prices\u2014created a more favourable environment for the sale, he added.<\/p>\n<p>The consortium\u2019s composition reflects a blend of major corporate players. Fauji Fertilizer will hold 25 percent of the stake, while Arif Habib\u2019s investment group, combined with Fatima Fertilizer, will control another 25 percent. The remaining 25 percent will be distributed among other consortium members.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf the Rs 135 billion acquisition price\u2014significantly more than the estimated Rs 70 billion needed for basic operations revival\u2014 Rs 125 billion will be injected directly into the airline. These funds will cover new engines, aircraft maintenance, operational expenses, and fleet expansion,\u201d Arif said.<\/p>\n<p>Presently, PIA\u2019s total liabilities stand at approximately Rs 54 billion, which the consortium will absorb while implementing its turnaround strategy, Arif informed.<\/p>\n<p>Arif Habib\u2019s business plan focuses heavily on improving services at competitive fares while expanding the operational fleet from 17 to 38 aircraft in the short term. \u201cMore professionals will be engaged for airline expansion, but hiring will be strictly merit-based,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSafety will remain paramount, with no compromises on maintenance or operational standards,\u201d Habib emphasised. The business plan also includes special provisions for improving the cargo system.<\/p>\n<p>The PIA sale represents a crucial test for the country\u2019s broader economic reform agenda. The successful turnaround of PIA could pave the way for additional economic reforms and privatisations.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KARACHI: Fresh from acquiring a controlling stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), prominent businessman Arif Habib has set his sights on Pakistan\u2019s blue economy and the National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), signalling an intent to tap the country\u2019s underdeveloped maritime potential. Speaking to journalists at Naya Nazimabad Gymkhana on Sunday, the 73-year-old industrialist revealed that the &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[292,294,167,293],"class_list":["post-1474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-arif-habib","tag-arif-habib-group","tag-pia","tag-pnsc"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy - Custom Bulletin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy - Custom Bulletin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"KARACHI: Fresh from acquiring a controlling stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), prominent businessman Arif Habib has set his sights on Pakistan\u2019s blue economy and the National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), signalling an intent to tap the country\u2019s underdeveloped maritime potential. Speaking to journalists at Naya Nazimabad Gymkhana on Sunday, the 73-year-old industrialist revealed that the &hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Custom Bulletin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-12T14:35:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"290\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"174\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"razataqvi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"razataqvi\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"razataqvi\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/6f5ed6f4085d04760e1ce43751447d60\"},\"headline\":\"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-12T14:35:37+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/\"},\"wordCount\":586,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"#Arif Habib\",\"#Arif Habib Group\",\"#PIA\",\"#PNSC\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/\",\"name\":\"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy - Custom Bulletin\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-12T14:35:37+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/6f5ed6f4085d04760e1ce43751447d60\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg\",\"width\":290,\"height\":174},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/\",\"name\":\"Custom Bulletin\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/6f5ed6f4085d04760e1ce43751447d60\",\"name\":\"razataqvi\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c020bb4ac0f08380627905e1c196016b9530caf2016883bcc26fcebd6dde474b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c020bb4ac0f08380627905e1c196016b9530caf2016883bcc26fcebd6dde474b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"razataqvi\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/author\/razataqvi\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy - Custom Bulletin","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy - Custom Bulletin","og_description":"KARACHI: Fresh from acquiring a controlling stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), prominent businessman Arif Habib has set his sights on Pakistan\u2019s blue economy and the National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), signalling an intent to tap the country\u2019s underdeveloped maritime potential. Speaking to journalists at Naya Nazimabad Gymkhana on Sunday, the 73-year-old industrialist revealed that the &hellip;","og_url":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/","og_site_name":"Custom Bulletin","article_published_time":"2026-01-12T14:35:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":290,"height":174,"url":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"razataqvi","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"razataqvi","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/"},"author":{"name":"razataqvi","@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/6f5ed6f4085d04760e1ce43751447d60"},"headline":"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy","datePublished":"2026-01-12T14:35:37+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/"},"wordCount":586,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg","keywords":["#Arif Habib","#Arif Habib Group","#PIA","#PNSC"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/","url":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/","name":"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy - Custom Bulletin","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-12T14:35:37+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/6f5ed6f4085d04760e1ce43751447d60"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Arif-Habib.jpg","width":290,"height":174},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/2026\/01\/12\/after-pia-arif-habib-sets-sights-on-blue-economy\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"After PIA, Arif Habib sets sights on Blue Economy"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#website","url":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/","name":"Custom Bulletin","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/6f5ed6f4085d04760e1ce43751447d60","name":"razataqvi","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c020bb4ac0f08380627905e1c196016b9530caf2016883bcc26fcebd6dde474b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c020bb4ac0f08380627905e1c196016b9530caf2016883bcc26fcebd6dde474b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"razataqvi"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english"],"url":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/author\/razataqvi\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1474"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1474\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1476,"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1474\/revisions\/1476"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/custombulletin.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}