Traffic jam: PIA employees stage protest outside airport

KARACHI:

Traffic was brought to a standstill near Jinnah International Airport after protesters staged a rally outside the airport on Friday.

Pakistan International Airline's (PIA) joint action committee was protesting the privatisation of the national airline at their head office in Saddar for the past several days but there were no plans to take the protest to the airport.

When the disgruntled workers gathered near the airport, it resulted in severe traffic jams. Passengers stuck in traffic were worried about their scheduled flights but the area was cleared 30 minutes after the protest started, said traffic SP for District East Qamar Rizvi.

Meanwhile, angry protesters shouted slogans against the government and burnt an effigy of federal finance minister Ishaq Dar. Obaidullah, the secretary of the joint action committee, warned that this was just the trailer. ”We did not mean to hurt the passengers but the government must take us seriously or get ready for disturbed flight schedules from February 2,” he warned.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th,  2016.