SC orders PIA to file plea against contract employees’ regularisation order

Justice Ahsan says the national flag carrier has already hired much more employees than it requires

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to file a petition for withdrawal of another apex court’s decision on regularisation of contract employees in Karachi.

A three-member bench led by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed heard multiple petitions regarding the national flag carrier.

PIA counsel Naeem Bukhari sought permission for recruitment in the airline. On March 31, 2018, the top court had enforced a ban on new recruitment in the airline.

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The counsel argued that the SC's Karachi registry had directed the airline administration to regularise all its contract employees in Karachi.

Bukhari arugued that the top court’s earlier order on ban on recruitment barred the airline from executing its order to regularise the employees.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan noted that the national flag carrier had already hired much more employees than it requires.

Justice Saeed inquired why the PIA’s counsel did not inform the bench in Karachi about SC's earlier order regarding the ban on fresh employees.

Bukhari said that the bench was hearing the case in Karachi and he was not representing PIA in that case.

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Justice Saeed directed the counsel to submit a petition against the SC's order on regularisation of employees. He said it was not possible that a court would issue two contradictory orders.

Justice Saeed also directed PIA to take action on its 10-year audit report.

"It is time for PIA to take its own responsibility," Justice Saeed said and adjourned the hearing of the case for an indefinite period.