CAA labour union questions govt’s step of delegating powers to private firms

 Privatisation of three airports

IHC told CAA employees were public servants
and they could not be forced to serve a private consortium under laws; court adjourns hearing till June 19

ISLAMABAD: Justice Aamir Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Tuesday adjourned in a petition challenging privatisation of Pakistan’s three international airports after legal counsel for the CAA’s labour union partially concluded his argument.

Legal counsel for Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Hafiz Arafat Ahmed advocate argued before the court that CAA in its reply has submitted before this court that it is going to issue licenses to private companies for the performance of particular functions. Whereas the matter of fact that CAA is going to outsource administration of these airports. Now this matter has also reached the floor of Parliament and the apex legislative body should decide about this issue, CAA counsel said.

CAA counsel quoted and read out various judgments to prove that CAA is an organisation under the administrative control of federal government. Advocate Arafat argued that under the laws CAA employees were public servants and they could not be forced to serve a private consortium and how federal government could delegate its powers and functions to a private firm or company.

In the summary for the privatisation of three international airports, it is said that the step has been taken to increase in the revenue of the CAA. CAA counsel said that under the laws CAA is mandated to provide facilities on economical rates and it is not a business organisation.

The court then directed CAA counsel to continue with his arguments on June 19.Employees Unity of Civil Aviation Authority (EUCAA) through its Chairman Roa Muhammad Aslam and 11 other employees has challenged privatisation of the three major airports of Pakistan.

Petitioners contended that the privatisation of airports will not only jeopardise Pakistan’s sovereignty but hundreds of CAA employees will lose their jobs.Petitioners cited federation of Pakistan through Secretary Aviation, Aviation Division through its Secretary, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) through its Director General, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Aviation
 and Privatization Commission of Pakistan through its Chairman as respondents.

Petitioners adopted that CAA is a public sector autonomous body established in 1982 through a 1982 ordinance for the promotion and regulations of Civil Aviation activities and to develop an infrastructure for safe, efficient, and adequate civil air transport service in Pakistan.

That CAA through a February 7, 2017 advertisement invited applications/proposals from international companies to privatise three international airports of Pakistan including New Islamabad International Airport, Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore and Jinnah International Airport Karachi. Applications had been invited for airport operation and management, administration and maintenance, allied infrastructure, equipment, systems and other facilities.