ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan International Airlines has charged Rs12,000 as the fare for carrying the Bhoja Air crash victims’ bodies, despite clear directives from President Asif Ali Zardari that the national air carrier should provide the service free of charge.
Some of the heirs of those who lost their lives in the accident told media that they were being charged Rs12,000 for each dead body.
Following these reports, the president took notice of the matterMeanwhile, Defense Minister Chaudhry ahmed Mukhtar said that though the air craft was 27 years old but it was being maintained.
He said if an aircraft is in good condition, being old should not be a problem. He said that the average age of PIA crafts is 22 years.
He said that checking the standard of the aircraft is the airline’s responsibility, not that of the Civil Avilation Authority. (SANA NEWS WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT)
Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2012.
COMMENTS (5)
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It makes sense. It should be Bhoja who transports the bodies. PIA is a business - they can't do things for free all the time. Bhoja should be criticized for this, not PIA... it is not their responsibility to take care of the families of the deceased. It would be nice if they did, but they cannot be criticized for not doing so since it costs a lot to do so.
In the West they provide the family free grief counseling, lodging etc --- in Pakistan they give you a bill for transporting the deceased? Go figure.
Shameless PIA.
In these days there is no free lunch. Bhoja air should have provided free transportation of dead bodies. Pia is commercial airline, some one has to pay.
What a properly formatted report.