Heckling video: Malik pleads for parliamentary probe into Azhar’s sacking

Arjumand Azhar was fired soon after his video of the senator on PIA flight went viral

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Rehman Malik has requested Senate Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain to form a parliamentary committee to probe into the reasons for the termination of a man from his job after he filmed a video of the senator being heckled off Pakistan International Airlines flight PK-370.

“I’d like to draw your attention to the recent social and electronic media reports wherein a false allegation has been levelled that I got Arjumand Azhar terminated from his job by using my political pressure,” reads the letter Senator Malik sent to the Senate chairman on Friday.

Local and international media reported that Azhar was fired from Gerry’s International (Pvt) Ltd after he filmed a video of Senator Malik which later went viral online and triggered a debate on ‘VIP culture’ in the country. In the video, angry PIA passengers can be seen forcing Senator Malik to disembark the plane after it was delayed due to his late arrival.

A message posted on Gerry’s website said Azhar was terminated from employment ‘purely based on merit’ and the decision had been in the pipeline for some time.

Senator Malik, who is chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reforms, has also written to the chairman of Gerry’s International, asking for the formation of a committee to investigate the issue.

Senator Malik has offered legal support to Azhar, saying in a letter, “Senator Malik feels that this is a great injustice against you [Arjumand] and you have been terminated only because of the incident on flight PK-370.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2014.