The only sufferers of this uncalled prolonged protest by some rogue elements in PIA who insisted on blocking roads leading to Karachi’s Jinnah Terminal were families and next of kin who were killed by bullets or unfortunate citizens of Pakistan who had bought tickets to travel by PIA. Almost ten aircrafts are stranded at various international airports because pilots refused to fly them back and conveniently continue to stay at hotels on PIA expense getting allowances, while poor passengers with no money are left on streets or staying in airport lounges. Why is PIA paying for hotels of crew unwilling to fly back aircrafts stranded at foreign stations?
Strikes by PIA employees have become regular habit, demanding salary hikes from airline going in loss and surviving on tax payer dole. In August 2010 PPP government imposed Essential Services Act in PIA and there was prolonged strike under garb of Going by Book, but somehow numerous pilots and engineers within management maintained few essential schedules. It was OK if PPP appointed crony MD, involved in numerous irregularities signed a lopsided agreement in favor of Turkish Airline, effectively reducing PIA to regional airline feeding passengers to Turkey for onward travel by that airline, while at same time PIA had bought expensive long range B777 to be underutilized for medium range flights.
PIA’s surplus employees forget that they can no longer ground Pakistan’s aviation industry, because other airlines are eager to fill void. Other than adequate remuneration, employees have no business to decide who runs management, nor must government treat this as spoils of war.
The Government must perform its regulatory functions and strictly ensure that nobody fleeces passengers. Private airlines must be penalized heavily if they resort to blackmailing and overcharging. Federal Government and CAA have failed in regulatory control. Tax payers of Pakistan can no longer tolerate that PIA be handed over to cronies with Conflicts of Interest involved in doing business with airline. It is time Federal government takes a firm stand and resolve this issue in a manner that interests of passengers is safeguarded, while national flag carrier survives. In interim period Federal government must immediately take on wet lease aircrafts and meet schedules.
GULL ZAMAN
Peshawar