PAC body takes notice of non-appointment of CAA BG

Convener Qamar says if the post is no longer needed, remove it

ISLAMABAD: The sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday expressed grave concern over the non-appointment of the director general of the Civil Aviation Authority despite a passage of one and a half years.

“If the post is no longer needed, remove it. Pakistan International Airlines’ losses are increasing. No improvement can be seen in PIA’s affairs. The spare parts and maintenance issues are still lingering,” said PAC Sub-Committee Convener Naveed Qamar while presiding over a meeting held in the committee room of the Parliament House on Monday.

Convener Qamar raised the matter of travel vouchers of the MPs in the new Civil Aviation policy, saying it is mentioned in the act that MPs could travel in any airline while according to the new policy the vouchers are valid only for PIA.

He said, “Policy cannot be against the act.”
Qamar said the PIA business plan is being devised for the last many years. “I have been hearing such stories for a long time. The government will have to decide whether it want to run PIA or not.”
Qamar said the marketing strategy of PIA was improper.

PAC directed the Civil Aviation secretary to investigate the matter of paying additional Rs4 billion commission for tickets. PAC also directed the secretary to take action against those responsible for demanding additional Rs600 million payment under the PIA’s computerised ticketing agreement.

The committee issued directives to investigate into the matter and take action against the ones responsible. The sub-committee convener expressed serious concerns over the affairs of the Civil Aviation. “These issues are existing for years. No one cares to even look at them.”