PIA woes: Employee unions expect a new dawn under Shujaat Azeem
Official’s appointment as PM’s special assistant on aviation welcomed.
Shujaat Azeem has been appointed as Prime Minister’s special assistant on aviation. PHOTO: INP/FILE
KARACHI:
Employee unions of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have welcomed Shujaat Azeem’s appointment as Prime Minister’s special assistant on aviation with hopes that he would be able to help fix the national flag carrier instead of supporting its privatisation.
“We are hopeful that he will find a plausible solution in a professional manner to steer the national airline out of the crisis,” the Joint Action Committee of PIA Employees (Jacpiae) said in a statement.
Jacpiae is the largest grouping of unions that is striving to improve the financial position of the airline in a bid to avoid its proposed privatisation.
Shujaat was appointed special assistant earlier this week. He has been given effective charge over civil aviation six months after his resignation as advisor to Prime Minister.
He had to resign after the Supreme Court raised objection on his appointment as he holds dual nationality and was court-martialled as well.
The government sees a distinction between the offices of prime minister’s advisor and special assistant. Reportedly, Information Minister Pervez Rashid said that special assistant’s is an administrative post and it does not matter if Shujaat is a dual national.
Jacpiae’s convener Captain Suhail Baloch hoped Shujaat’s return would bode well for the national airline at a time when it is in dire need of a new fleet.
“With the airline on the path of recovery and profitability, the employees demand against privatisation will be heard,” he said.
Employees hoped that meaningful measures would also be taken to bring an end to corruption in PIA by taking retrospective action against those who caused financial losses to the airline, said Baluch.
He said an advisory committee on aviation affairs should be created under Shujaat’s leadership. It should include representatives of PIA employees, domestic airlines and independent aviation experts and report directly to the Prime Minister.
“This step will end political interference in the PIA,” he added.
Deputy Convener Jacpiae Shaukat Jamshed said that it was about time the special assistant changes the culture of blaming employees for PIA’s woes.
“We expect Shujaat to convince the government that privatisation or downsizing is not the right option for PIA at a time when domestic and international competitors keep expanding.”
Soon after coming to power, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) created a new aviation division, handing it control over PIA, Civil Aviation Authority and Airport Security Force – organisations which had largely remained under control Ministry of Defence.
Over the last five years, some of the leading carriers including British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines have stopped flying to Pakistan. Many officials believe it is time the aviation policy is designed on the basis of commercial interests.
Captain (retd) Shujaat Azeem is the brother of seasoned politician Senator Tariq Azeem. Shujaat is also the Royal Airport Service Chief Executive Officer, which provides ground handling facility to airlines.
A former pilot for assassinated Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Shujaat is considered close to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. He reportedly played a crucial role in establishing links between the Sharif family and the Saudi royal family.
Shujaat has other business interests including a housing colony Sukh Chayn Gardens on the outskirts of Lahore.
Bogged down by financial losses, PIA has become a bone of contention for successive governments. World’s highest employee to aircraft ratio, fiscal leakages and excessive interference of unions in management affairs has made it a difficult-to-run state-owned organisation.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2014.
Employee unions of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have welcomed Shujaat Azeem’s appointment as Prime Minister’s special assistant on aviation with hopes that he would be able to help fix the national flag carrier instead of supporting its privatisation.
“We are hopeful that he will find a plausible solution in a professional manner to steer the national airline out of the crisis,” the Joint Action Committee of PIA Employees (Jacpiae) said in a statement.
Jacpiae is the largest grouping of unions that is striving to improve the financial position of the airline in a bid to avoid its proposed privatisation.
Shujaat was appointed special assistant earlier this week. He has been given effective charge over civil aviation six months after his resignation as advisor to Prime Minister.
He had to resign after the Supreme Court raised objection on his appointment as he holds dual nationality and was court-martialled as well.
The government sees a distinction between the offices of prime minister’s advisor and special assistant. Reportedly, Information Minister Pervez Rashid said that special assistant’s is an administrative post and it does not matter if Shujaat is a dual national.
Jacpiae’s convener Captain Suhail Baloch hoped Shujaat’s return would bode well for the national airline at a time when it is in dire need of a new fleet.
“With the airline on the path of recovery and profitability, the employees demand against privatisation will be heard,” he said.
Employees hoped that meaningful measures would also be taken to bring an end to corruption in PIA by taking retrospective action against those who caused financial losses to the airline, said Baluch.
He said an advisory committee on aviation affairs should be created under Shujaat’s leadership. It should include representatives of PIA employees, domestic airlines and independent aviation experts and report directly to the Prime Minister.
“This step will end political interference in the PIA,” he added.
Deputy Convener Jacpiae Shaukat Jamshed said that it was about time the special assistant changes the culture of blaming employees for PIA’s woes.
“We expect Shujaat to convince the government that privatisation or downsizing is not the right option for PIA at a time when domestic and international competitors keep expanding.”
Soon after coming to power, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) created a new aviation division, handing it control over PIA, Civil Aviation Authority and Airport Security Force – organisations which had largely remained under control Ministry of Defence.
Over the last five years, some of the leading carriers including British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines have stopped flying to Pakistan. Many officials believe it is time the aviation policy is designed on the basis of commercial interests.
Captain (retd) Shujaat Azeem is the brother of seasoned politician Senator Tariq Azeem. Shujaat is also the Royal Airport Service Chief Executive Officer, which provides ground handling facility to airlines.
A former pilot for assassinated Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Shujaat is considered close to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. He reportedly played a crucial role in establishing links between the Sharif family and the Saudi royal family.
Shujaat has other business interests including a housing colony Sukh Chayn Gardens on the outskirts of Lahore.
Bogged down by financial losses, PIA has become a bone of contention for successive governments. World’s highest employee to aircraft ratio, fiscal leakages and excessive interference of unions in management affairs has made it a difficult-to-run state-owned organisation.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2014.