KARACHI – President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday formally inaugurated the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Apna Ghar Scheme for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees. The president was greeted on his arrival at the ceremony at the PIA Head Office, Karachi by thousands of employees of the national flag carrier, ministers and other guests.
Zardari congratulated the employees and the management of the airline on the launch of the housing scheme. Distributing allotment certificates to 10 female employees of PIA, he announced that Apna Ghar housing scheme for the workers of PIA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) would also be offered in other cities of Pakistan. The housing scheme consists of over 1,900 apartments.
The president further instructed the PIA managing director to give permanent job status to 3,000 daily wages employees, 15 percent increase in salaries of pay-group 1 to IV employees with effect from January 1, 2011, restore allowances of PIA cabin crew as of year 2001, increase in insurance coverage of pay-group 1 to IV cabin crew from Rs 300,000 to Rs 600,000 and increase in insurance from Rs 600,000 to 1,200,000 of cabin crew of pay groups V and above.
PIA Managing Director Captain Aijaz Haroon, while addressing the occasion, dispelled the impression that the airline was facing losses. He said the PIA, after a period of five years, has achieved an operating profit, and by the close of 2010, would earn revenue of Rs 100 billion, a 25 percent increase in revenue as compared to last year’s revenue of Rs 80 billion.
The airline has realised a combined seat factor of 76 percent on domestic and international routes this year, he said, adding that it was achieved with combined efforts of all employees of the national carrier. PIA Chairman Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, who is also the Federal Defence Minister, congratulated the PIA employees also.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and Federal Labour Minister Khurshid Shah.
