Four 'missing' PIA workers released in Karachi after six days

The union leaders were said to have been released by unidentified individuals in Nazimabad this morning

Four missing union leaders of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees were released Monday in Karachi's Nazimabad area, Express News reported.



The union leaders -- JAC leader and People's Unity (PU) President Hidayatullah Khan, PU Vice President Zameer Chandio, Saifullah and Mansoor Dhalwan -- were said to have been released with masks on their eyes, by unidentified individuals in Nazimabad this morning.

The four employees were said to have gone missing on February 3, a day after two people were killed by ‘mysterious gunshots’ during the protest on February 2.

Last week, security personnel clashed with marchers protesting against government plans to privatise the ailing national airline, in a skirmish that killed at least two protesters and injured eight.



Protesters said paramilitary forces fired after the confrontation as security forces tried to block the strikers nearing the city's Jinnah International Airport in the southern economic hub of Karachi.

Police used water cannons and teargas to keep the crowd from approaching the airport before shots were fired. However, a spokesperson for the paramilitary Rangers force and a senior police officer denied that any of their members had fired.



PIA flight operations partially resumed on Sunday as a crippling strike by its staff against the planned privatisation of the national flag carrier continued across the country for the fifth day running.