This is with reference to the resolution adopted by the Senate, disapproving the PIA Conversion Ordinance 2015
PESHAWAR: This is with reference to the resolution adopted by the Senate, disapproving the PIA Conversion Ordinance 2015 on December 31, 2015. Where were all these senators when the national flag carrier’s human resources were being destroyed by selling jobs to individuals with fake degrees and an unknown Dubai-based company was given the sole contract for the supply of essential aircraft spare parts, leading to an escalation in maintenance costs and the grounding of half of its fleet? Did any of the Senators bother to act when cartels were allowed to be created by corrupt executives in nexus with travel agents and tried to fleece Umrah and Hajj pilgrims? Did they pay attention when a fine was imposed by a court in London, penalising the airline in 2014?
Are these senators not aware that PIA sent almost 30 permanent employees on forced retirement just for the benefit of the cousin of a particular figure, while overburdening this highly overstaffed organisation with another 3,000 employees, in violation of merit and rules? Can PIA, with the highest ratio of employees per aircraft in the world, justify the employment of 1,500 ghost employees, who are activists of political parties? PIA’s official financial records from May 2008 to 2013 show that accumulated losses jumped from Rs42.4 billion to over Rs190 billion and during this period, instead of a qualified chartered accountant, an ordinary accounts officer was given this charge. PIA is a statutory organisation, yet many of its senior managers do not have the requisite qualifications and its employees that were dismissed on criminal offences were reinstated with backdated seniority, while a former managing director cancelled all catering contracts to give them solely to his family-owned company based in the UK, where he resided. There was not even an attempt to hide conflicts of interest in the awarding of contracts, resulting in disastrous financial losses to an already ailing airline.
Almost six months have lapsed since the PIA board of directors approved the grounding of an ageing B747 fleet. This would have also meant the possible laying off of some pilots who would not have been needed with the grounding of the fleet. However, more than 30 pilots are still on its payroll and are being paid all salaries with not a single flight operated by the B747 fleet. Meanwhile, the recently procured A320 lacks basic essential safety equipment, rendering the planes unfit for international routes.
Gull Zaman
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2016.
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