KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) sacked at least 29 employees last month for various reasons, including fake academic credentials, as the state-owned airline swung into action to restore its corporate image after a scandal of pilots with dubious licences, it was learnt on Friday.
The airline took actions against 54 employees in September, according to PIA’s spokesperson.
Seven employees were terminated on fake academic credentials, eight for leaves of absence without intimation, two for damaging PIA’s assets, one for whistle blowing, six on corruption and fraud charges, two for involvement in drugs peddling, two for tempering with and stealing the official records and one was sacked for refusing to work.
The spokesperson further said the airline management abolished increment in remunerations of five employees for violating standard of procedures and demoted nine employees for disobeying office orders.
Loss-making PIA came recently in the limelight as a minister pointed at hiring of pilots with dubious licences in the airline after a deadly crash of its aircraft. The airline grounded its 150 pilots after the aviation ministry issued a list of 141 suspected pilots pertaining to PIA in June. However, the list became controversial as it also included a pilot who was not associated with the PIA as an operating airline pilot.
The PIA’s spokesperson said the airline is currently undergoing reforms and accountability process.
“All actions were taken under rules and regulations,” the official said. “PIA will continue such actions without ceding to any pressure.”
The spokesperson further said 10 employees were absolved after inquiry, while 13 employees received appreciation certificates and seven employees were given cash rewards.
PIA reported a net loss of Rs56 billon for the year ended on December 31, 2019, compared to a loss of Rs43.98 billion in 2018.
The previous government decided to privatise PIA and set April 2018 as the last date of its privatisation as its losses swelled to more than Rs400 billion since 2008. Under the law, the management control of the PIA continues to remain in the hands of the federal government and majority shares could not be transferred to any private party.
The International Monetary Fund stressed the importance of a decision about any financial transaction in the privatisation domain to reduce budgetary losses.
The PIA’s privatisation plan was frustrated by opposition parties. The government excluded the national flag carrier from the list of privatization, the ministry of aviation told the senate in July.