The Joint Action Committee of the PIA Employees (JACPIAE) Tuesday postponed the demonstration in front of the PIA Head Office in the evening till next Monday on the assurance of PIA’s chairman for holding meeting with all stakeholders in Islamabad today (Wednesday).
“The first board meeting of the airline cannot be held anywhere in the country as the final recommendations with mutual understanding were not signed,” said the chairman in a meeting with the JACPIAE leaders who met them at Ramada Hotel in the jurisdiction of airport.
The union leaders were also informed that all demand of the employees would be discussed in Wednesday’s meeting regarding privatisation of the airline. The government should withdraw presidential ordinance through which the airline had been converted into a limited company, the JACPIAE demanded.
However, the employees agreed to open doors of the head office, but said that they would continue their protest till the withdrawal of presidential ordinance.
While addressing the employees, PIACL Chairman Nasser Jaffer assured the union leaders outside the head office that he would hold a meeting with government officials including Secretary Aviation and JACPIAE to further finalise recommendations as per directives of the prime minister.
In a meeting with JACPIAE, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had directed to review the decision of making Pakistan International Airlines a limited company and a committee was constituted comprising members from Joint Action Committee of PIA Employees (JACPIAE) and top management of the airline to finalise recommendations in this regard.
The employees of the airline surrounded the head office on Monday and did not allow any officials including its chairman to enter the office.
On Tuesday morning, the same procedure was adopted to protest in front of the head office and nobody was allowed to enter the office but after the assurance of the PIA chairman, the employees opened the gates at 3:00 pm.
The PIA’s spokesman said that the committee would complete its recommendations and submit its report to the prime minister after 10 days.
