Discretionary raise in PIA directors’ pay questioned

MP Bano demands of NA to conduct probe into issue

ISLAMABAD:

National Assembly Member (MNA) Saira Bano on Monday brought to the attention of the lower house of parliament that some of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) directors were involved in making their own appointments on high packages, demanding that the issue should be probed.

On a supplementary question to the query of MNA Shagufta Jumani during the question hour session of the National Assembly, MNA Bano said there was no increase in the salaries of PIA employees despite the government announcements of increment for government employees in every budget.

She added that a notification for 10% increase in the employees' salaries was made but not implemented by the PIA management.

On the one hand, the employees of lower ranks were facing the burden of skyrocketing inflation, while on the other, the director-level officers were setting their salaries by themselves while making their own appointments on different key positions.

Responding to her query, Parliamentary Secretary for Aviation Kiran Imran Dar responded that the salaries of PIA staff was increased in 2016 and 2021. However, the matter raised by MNA Bano would be probed by the ministry as per law, she added.

In a reply to a question by MNA Sikandar Ali Rahoupoto on dysfunctional Sehwan Sharif Airport, she said the airport was activated every year on the occasion of urs in Sehwan Sharif.

However, there was neither any workload nor demand by any airline for flight operations that was why the flight operations were suspended on the Sehwan Sharif Airport, she said.

She added that the infrastructure was also deteriorated due to the recent floods.

MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali raised the supplementary question on no flight operations in Chitral. He said Chitral was a key tourism spot but flights from Peshawar and rest of the areas were being suspended for the past many years.

He added that the PIA released its fresh schedule for flights but there was none for Chitral. He demanded the parliamentary secretary to respond why Chitral was neglected. The secretary requested the member to put a fresh question in the next sitting for a detailed answer.