In disagreement : PIA employees hold another protest against privatisation
Say they will not allow govt to sell national carrier.
File photo of Bacha Khan International Airport. PHOTO: EXPRESS FILE
PESHAWAR:
Dozens of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees representing a majority of the unions took to the streets of the city to protest against the privatisation of the national carrier.
The protesting employees said they would agitate against the government’s decision and could go to any extent. The protesters left Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) and reached Peshawar Press Club where union members joined the demonstration from various areas.
They gathered outside the press club and blocked Sher Shah Suri Road for traffic. The protesters criticised the federal government, President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and federal minister Ishaq Dar. They demanded the federal government withdraw its decision to privatise the airline.
“We have joined hands as you can see and all the unions, including those backed by political parties such as the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, are here and will not allow the government to sell it,” chairperson of the joint action committee Kifayat Ahmad informed reporters.
He said the government wanted to sell the national carrier without realising it has been generating money and is making a profit. “PIA earned Rs3billion in the last six months and even then they want to sell it. Were they sleeping when PIA was at a loss and only 17 carriers were operating?” Ahmad asked. He added the airline was no longer a loss-making entity and its (over) 38 passenger planes were getting business.
The joint action committee chairperson said authorities planned to pocket a percentage when selling out assets of the national carrier, including hotels across the globe.
Earlier on Tuesday, Air League President Rahat Iqbal said unions had boycotted duties from 12pm to 2pm to protest PIA’s privatisation. “We have decided to hold a token strike and collectively agreed to the timing since we usually don’t have flights at the time,” Iqbal said. He added the workers wanted to register their protest yet not inconvenience passengers.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2015.
Dozens of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees representing a majority of the unions took to the streets of the city to protest against the privatisation of the national carrier.
The protesting employees said they would agitate against the government’s decision and could go to any extent. The protesters left Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) and reached Peshawar Press Club where union members joined the demonstration from various areas.
They gathered outside the press club and blocked Sher Shah Suri Road for traffic. The protesters criticised the federal government, President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and federal minister Ishaq Dar. They demanded the federal government withdraw its decision to privatise the airline.
“We have joined hands as you can see and all the unions, including those backed by political parties such as the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, are here and will not allow the government to sell it,” chairperson of the joint action committee Kifayat Ahmad informed reporters.
He said the government wanted to sell the national carrier without realising it has been generating money and is making a profit. “PIA earned Rs3billion in the last six months and even then they want to sell it. Were they sleeping when PIA was at a loss and only 17 carriers were operating?” Ahmad asked. He added the airline was no longer a loss-making entity and its (over) 38 passenger planes were getting business.
The joint action committee chairperson said authorities planned to pocket a percentage when selling out assets of the national carrier, including hotels across the globe.
Earlier on Tuesday, Air League President Rahat Iqbal said unions had boycotted duties from 12pm to 2pm to protest PIA’s privatisation. “We have decided to hold a token strike and collectively agreed to the timing since we usually don’t have flights at the time,” Iqbal said. He added the workers wanted to register their protest yet not inconvenience passengers.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2015.