Amid pressure: Anti-privatisation rally put off, protest rages on

PIA officials feel encouraged by interest shown by PM in matter

KARACHI: The anti-privatisation protest carried out by the joint action committee of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) entered the 12th day on Friday.

The rally that the joint action committee had planned to take out from PIA’s head office to the Jinnah Terminal was postponed after the committee met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday.

During the meeting, PM Nawaz ordered that a committee comprising members of joint action committee and PIA’s top management should be formed. This committee will review the decisions made by the national air carrier.

“We decided to postpone the rally and hold a protest, because the PM has shown personal interest in the matter,” said Pakistan Airlines Cabin Crew Association head Nasrullah Khan Afridi while talking to The Express Tribune.

“The workers are getting out of control day by day, we have postponed the rally for two days and will announce the next course of action on Sunday,” he claimed.

The workers are under the impression that the joint action committee has made a secret deal with the government, he said. “I fear the employees might turn violent if the committee fails to produce any results," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2015.