The Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Saturday put forward its final proposals for the revival of the national airlines. These final proposals will be submitted to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
According to sources, the JAC’s leading demands include withdrawal of the decision to privatise the PIA and the appointment of competent and honest administrative officials on permanent basis similar to those in the Railways department.
The JAC has proposed that the government should offer subsidy on non-profitable routes of the airlines while flight operations in lucrative routes which offer greater profits should be promoted. Further proposals by the JAC include review of aviation policy of 2015, review of agreement on local and foreign hotels and addition of new airplanes to the PIA’s fleet.
The JAC has also advised that to optimise the national airlines’ business and to improve the deficit crisis of the company, improvements in flight kitchen, head office, engineering, flight operations and motor transport along with eradication of corruption in purchase of spare parts and other steps should be taken.
The JAC has demanded that the employees be given a period of one year on the basis of these conditions to improve the situation. If the employees fail to better the situation within that period, the government is then free to decide on any course of action, the JAC stated.
Six MDs in as many months came in and went out execusing to handle the affairs of the Airline as they were. Mr Arif Abbasi was the last MD who left the airline in profit. He aksi had politely refused any subsidy from the Government. After him, history and destruction. Let us see what the JAC can do what half a dozen MDs could not. They are gaining time but let us hope something better.
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