SHC restrains PIA from coercive action against pilots

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has restrained Pakistan International Airlines Corporation from taking any adverse or coercive action against the pilots in violation of the PIA laws that provides protection of the salary structure.

The direction came on lawsuit filed by Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association and other pilots against the PIAC orders of change in the established fixed salary structure of the pilots.

The plaintiffs counsel Haseeb Jamali submitted that PIA management through impugned admin orders issued on October 27 and November 3 was attempting to not only drastically change the established fixed salary structure of pilots but also attempting to cut down their sanctioned off days. The PIAC, they submitted was also trying to introduce new punitive actions for safety violations which were violative of the good practices of international civil aviation authority.

Referring to section 3(6) of the PIA (conversion) Act 2016, the defence counsel said that all employees of the corporation shall remain entitled to the same remuneration and other conditions of service, rights and privileges including pension, provident funds and gratuity.

He submitted that through the defendents the impugned admin order changed and reduced the flying allowance of 75 hours and 10 days off to 50 hours and 5 days off with effect from October 1, 2020. Furthermore the privilege leave was also changed besides denying increase in flying allowance to pilots for two years. The court was requested to set aside the impugned admin orders and restrain the respondents from taking any coercive action against the plaintiffs.

The SHC’s single bench headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi after preliminary hearing issued notices to the PIA and others and called their comments on November 25. The court in meantime restrained the PIA from taking any adverse or coercive action against the plaintiffs in violation of section 3(6) of PIA (conversion) Act.