PM forms committee on PIA workers’ demands

LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has agreed to review the decision of making Pakistan International Airlines a company and constituted a committee comprising members from Joint Action Committee of the PIA Employees (JACPIAE) and top management of the Airline to finalise recommendations in this regard, The News has learnt.

Accompanied by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Special Assistant to PM on Aviation Shujat Azeem and PIA Chairman Nasser Jaffer, the PM listened to the concerns of the JACPIAE members at a meeting on Thursday.

The Joint Action Committee was represented by PIA CBA President Shamim Akmal, head of People’s Unity Hidayatulla Khan, general secretary and former airline employee Captain Sohail Ahmed, former president PALPA Sohail Baloch, PIA Officers Association President Dr Imran, Officers Association General Secretary Safdar Anjum, CBA General Secretary Nasir Janjua and Society of Aircraft Engineers Pakistan Vice President Zakir Farooq.

The committee members apprised the PM about the insecurity and suspicions of the Airline employees after issuance of the ordinance, which converted the PIA into a company. The representatives argued that it would not serve the interests of the Airline and thus needed to be undone. They apprised the PM about growing job insecurity among the employees and the feared privatisation of the Airline.

Sources privy to the meeting, quoting the PM as having said, told The News that the aim of the ordinance was not to privatise the PIA, but to make it a profit-making organisation. The PM said he loved the national carrier, appreciated its recent efforts and wanted it revived, and he was open to any workable solution that could deliver.

Ishaq Dar, however, said the decision could not be reversed as many modalities had already been completed, added the sources. The minister was also rather clear about privatisation of the Airline, saying he did not see a major turnaround in the PIA’s situation unless a ‘strategic partner’ was coupled to it. However, he made it clear that the ‘strategic partner’ would only handle the core operations of the Airline. The core operations include flight operations, finances, human resources and marketing.

On the other hand, the premier said he would not have even sold 26 per cent of the Airline shares had he found an in-house solution, offering a clear roadmap about the revival of the Airline. The PM said his vision of the PIA was of an Airline having a fleet of 70-75 aircraft, which should have a dynamic business plan to utilise that fleet for generating good revenue and steering the Airline out of the financial crisis.

The Joint Action Committee representatives told the PM the hurdle to a major financial turnaround was certain policies which had outlived their time and needed major changes. The committee formed by the PM would consist of the PIA top management including Special Assistant to PM on Aviation Shujat Azeem, PIA Chairman Nasser Jaffer, Secretary Aviation Irfan Elahi and a member from the PIA Finance Department.

The JACPIAE would be represented by Shamim Akmal, Hidayatulla Khan, Captain Sohail Ahmed, Sohail Baloch, Dr Imran, Safdar Anjum, Nasir Janjua and Zakir Farooq.

The committee will present its recommendations to the prime minister in two weeks time. No further steps regarding the PIA privatisation would be taken until the recommendations of the committee are received and discussed.

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid was repeatedly contacted to get government’s version on the issue; however, he could not be contacted as his phone was switched off.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s spokesperson Musaddiq Malik confirmed that a meeting was held to discuss the PIA issue. However, he said he was not in a position to confirm or deny any decisions made at the meeting, as he was not present in the meeting.