PIA flights take off as operations partially resume after days of suspension

PIA spokesperson says 18 flights have reached their destinations since resumption of the flight operations

LAHORE: Flight operations of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are returning to normalcy after nearly a week of protests against the government proposed privatisation of the national carrier.

Around 90% of the airline’s workers have resumed their duties at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, while flight operations have been partially resumed.

Those who have resumed their duties refuse to continue the ongoing protests in fears that if they continue to obey the orders of the striking elements they might lose their jobs. Two PIA workers were killed during protests at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport on February 2.



Further, PIA’s Chief Security Officer Major Mukhtar has cancelled entry passes of the protesting employees, directing the airport security personnel not to let them enter the airport premises.

“Eighteen flights of the national flag carrier have reached their destinations since the resumption of the flight operations. Two PIA flights - PK-740 and PK-7334 - carrying Umrah pilgrims reached Islamabad from Jeddah this morning,” Radio Pakistan quoted PIA spokesperson Daniyal Gillani as saying.

He added that employees of PIA's head office in Karachi and Islamabad have also called off the strike and resumed their duties.

Earlier, media reports suggested that four members of the Joint Action Committee of PIA Employees (JACPIAE), which has been heading the countrywide protests, returned home. These four workers had gone missing during skirmishes between the protesting employees and security forces at the Karachi airport.

Flight PK-748 brings back 300 pilgrims from Saudi Arabia

Meanwhile, PIA flight PK-748 brought 300 Umrah pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Lahore on Monday.



Further, two other flights are expected to reach Lahore in the next few hours, said the PIA management.

We are ready for negotiations, says JAC chairman

The Joint Action Committee has expressed its willingness to negotiate with the federal government on the issue of PIA’s privatisation to help resolve the ensuing crisis.

“We respect our prime minister and keeping in mind his busy schedule we propose names of Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for negotiations to resolve this issue,” Joint Action Committee chairman Sohail Baloch told media men in a conference on Monday.

PIA, one of the world’s leading airlines until the 1970s, now suffers frequent cancellations and delays and has been involved in numerous controversies over the years, including the jailing of a drunk pilot in Britain in 2013.



Last week, the JACPIAE had announced its plans to shut down the airline’s flights after weeks of token strikes against the government proposals to complete the partial sale of the carrier by July. The move followed years of crushing losses and mismanagement that have battered the airline’s reputation.

The government has sought to allay fears the move could bring mass layoffs, but sporadic protests have continued.