SC sets aside Cyan’s appointment as PIA CEO

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday set aside the appointment of Musharraf Rasool Cyan as Chief Executive officer (CEO) of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) with the ruling that his appointment was made in violation of Rules of 2013 and the Public Sector Companies (appointment of chief executive) Guidelines of 2015.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umer Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsen, heard a case pertaining to the appointment of PIA CEO as well as audit of accounts of last 10 years of the national flag carrier.

“Reasons to be recorded later as we allow this petition and set aside the appointment of Musharraf Rasool Cyan as CEO of the PIA,” the court ruled after hearing the parties.

The PIA officers' association had challenged before the Supreme Court, appointment of Musharraf Rasool Cyan as CEO of the national flag carrier and had prayed to the apex court to sack him as his appointment was not made in accordance with the Rules of 2013 and the Public Sector Companies (appointment of chief executive) Guidelines of 2015.

The court after setting aside the appointment of Musharraf Rasool also directed Auditor General of Pakistan to submit its final report pertaining to the audit of PIA accounts of the last 10 years.

Naeem Bukhari, counsel for Musharraf Rasool Cyan, contended that his appointment was made in accordance with law adding that the Islamabad High Court had already dealt with the matter and referred the instant matter to the cabinet.

The chief justice observed that former adviser on Aviation Sardar Mehtab Abbasi had played a role in the appointment of Musharraf Rasool. Naeem Bukhari, however, contended that Mehtab Abbasi had not played any role in his appointment adding that Musharraf Rasool while working with Abbasi had planned for restoring the national flag carrier.

The chief justice however, observed that instead of Musharraf Rasool, the Human Resource Department (HR) had shown good performance in providing services. During the course of hearing, Muhammad Saeed Tiwana, Member (Legal) Auditor General of Pakistan informed the court that in pursuance of the court’s direction, they prepared initial observation report and then intimated to the PIA to give its reply over the observation by Sept 11.

He further informed that the representatives of Auditor General of Pakistan and PIA are expected to hold a meeting on Sept 12 or 13 for discussing the observation and thereafter, the AGP office will compile a final report which will then be submitted before the court in three or four days.