Planes, goats and pains

At a time when Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is a focus of national and international interest as a result of the tragic loss of PK-166 with all those aboard, it might have been expected that it would be doing all it could to protect what is left of its reputation. Thus it is with astonishment that we note the appearance of a (verified) photograph of PIA staff slaughtering a black goat in front of an ATR aircraft of the type that crashed. The goat is meeting its premature end in an effort to bring ‘good luck’ to the airline. The airline rushed into damage limitation by saying that this was an initiative of staffers and not directed by management but the damage was done. Incredulity and ridicule quickly followed on the internet’s ever hungry social media websites and our national carrier became an international laughing-stock within hours.

Staff are seemingly uncertain of the safety of the aircraft they fly in, having little faith in the engineers that keep the fleet in the air — a reality that inspires no confidence whatsoever. They acted with little or no thought to what the consequences might be if they were photographed cutting the throat of a goat at a busy international airport, which says more about the state of mind of the staff than the safety of the aircraft they operate.

The last chairman of PIA resigned days after the PK-166 crash and the government has yet to appoint a new Chair. The airline just resumed operation of routes covered by the ATR aircraft, after a C-130 was reportedly used to bring tourists out from Gilgit. There were no reports of goats being involved in the resumption. It is now for PIA to look to restoring confidence in both its aircraft operations, its engineers and the travelling public. The appointment of the new chairman is a matter of urgency and we hope for better times for the national carrier.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2016.

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