Khursheed questions ATR service for Gilgit, Chitral

Says ATRs were not fit to fly at high attitude; seeks resignation of PIA managing director

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Thursday asked why the six new ATR flights were started for Gilgit and Chitral when it had been decided that the plane won’t fly to these areas.

“These ATRs were facing problems and were not fit to fly at high attitude,” he said while talking to newsmen at the Parliament House. Khursheed demanded action against the PIA managing director on the tragic crash resulting in loss of precious human lives.

To a question, he said the chairman PIA only headed the board and the real administrative powers rest with the MD. “The MD has been brought at a hefty salary package and
 he should be sacked,” he said. He demanded an investigation into the tragic incident. He said the PIA was facing monthly loss of $12,000 due to the ATR planes while it was facing a loss of millions every month.

To a question, the opposition leader said the government had not yet contacted the PPP on its four demands. “It is unfortunate that the government is not willing to consider the PPP’s demands seriously which did not benefit any political party but are in the national and government interest,” he said.

Khursheed said one of the PPP's demands was the formation of a parliamentary committee on national security to monitor the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP). He said the prime minister had even promised in the All Parties Conference to form a parliamentary committee.

"By not fulfilling the prime minister’s promise, the government is making its position doubtful,” he added. Khursheed said the other demand was related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which was a national project but it seemed the government was not serious about taking all the provinces on board in this regard.

He said even in the APC meeting, Chairman Parliamentary Committee on CPEC Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed had given credit to Asif Ali Zardari for the CPEC, which was a game changer for Pakistan.

“Investment started coming into Pakistan from countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, etc, due to the CPEC but the government is making the project controversial,” he added. Khursheed said if the government did not accept the PPP’s four demands by December 27, then it should be held responsible for the future consequences, as the PPP knew how to do opposition.

He said the PPP believed in the supremacy of parliament and that’s the reason it saved it in 2014 or in other words Nawaz Sharif’s government. “We stood at that time to defend parliament, not the government. But instead of giving importance to parliament, the prime minister was avoiding it by not attending the sessions." To a question, the opposition leader said the PPP wanted accountability through parliament and that’s reason ‘we avoided going to the Supreme Court in the PanamaLeaks case.’