Proposed PIA privatisation: Six injured in clash between two groups

Office bearers of anti-privatisation union came under attack from workers of pro-govt union.

RAWALPINDI:

At least six persons were injured on Monday when workers of two PIA unions clashed over the proposed privatisation of the national flag carrier.

According to sources and reports, workers of a pro-government union — Air League — allegedly attacked the office of People’s Unity (PU), which was planning to take out an anti-privatisation rally before coming under the attack.

The sources said that baton-wielding Air League workers ransacked the PU office, smashed window panes and thrashed its office bearers. During the clash, six persons were seriously injured and were taken to Benazir Bhutto International Hospital, the sources said.

The attackers also thrashed flight stewards and officials present in the flight operation room, the sources said. They also ransacked a catering office and broke furniture while chanting pro-privatisation slogans.

By the time the police and the airport security staff reached the spot, the attacking Air League workers had fled, PU workers said.

Later, the PU workers took out the rally inside the airport against the privatisation, specifically the government’s decision to sell off 26 per cent of the airline, and also condemned the attack.

The protesters threatened to launch a nationwide strike if the government implemented the decision.

“We were planning a peaceful rally against the proposed privatisation when Air League workers attacked us,” said President PU Ramzan Laghari.

“We were winners of the 2013 union elections and it is our democratic right to stage a peaceful protest.”

“PIA is a national asset and the government should fix its problems instead of selling it,” he said. He said it was a source of income for thousands of families.

He said that the airline could be steered out of the crisis if the government approved a bailout package, bought new planes and scrapped older ones.

The protesters termed the proposed privatisation a ploy to grab assets worth billions belonging to the national flag carrier.

The protesters demanded that instead of selling it, the government should root out corruption and stop political hiring in the institution.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2014.