Bidding for Pakistan's national airline will be held on Oct. 1, broadcaster Ary News reported on Tuesday, citing a statement by the head of the National Assembly privatisation committee.

"The (Pakistan International Airlines) auction will be finalised on the first day of next month," National Assembly member Farooq Sattar was reported to have told a session of the committee.

Pakistan's government has previously said it would sell between 51% and 100% of the loss-making airline as part of reforms urged by the International Monetary Fund.

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka Editing by David Goodman)