PIA’s plight

This refers to the news report, ‘Government to establish new airline: Pervaiz’ (February 5). Nawaz Sharif’s government has decided to create a new airline within 120 days in view of the suspension of PIA’s flight operations due to the ongoing protests by PIA employees against the proposed privatisation of the national carrier. It is interesting to recall that when the PPP government tried to privatise PIA, people like Ishaq Dar, Chaudhry Nisar, Abid Sher Ali, etc, attended the protest demonstrations organised against the proposed privatisation. Now, the same people have become staunch supporters of the privatisation of the national carrier.

Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are responsible for the current state of PIA. They laid the foundation of the crisis in 1998 when they removed PIA employees who attained the age of 57 or above under a mandatory scheme. After a few days, they also introduced the Voluntarily Golden Handshake Scheme, thus removing about 7,500 employees from PIA – the overwhelming majority of whom had long, valuable experience of serving PIA. Consequently, junior employees replaced them. These people lacked management experience. Thus, the foundation for the downfall of PIA was laid. The record of Nawaz’s government on privatisation is not good. Therefore, the apprehensions expressed by PIA employees are justified. The decision to create a new airline within 120 days is also wrong. This seems to be a rather clumsy formula when compared to the existing network of PIA. Nawaz Sharif is requested to give up the idea of creating a new airline and instead, enter into meaningful dialogue with the Joint Action Committee of PIA employees to remove their apprehensions sincerely.

Mohammad Khan Sial

Karachi

*****

As usual the government has proved its incompetence once again by failing to handle the privatisation of PIA properly. The government’s heavy-handed techniques have landed it in a very awkward situation, causing huge losses to the exchequer. It seems the PM’s team of ministers and advisers has no one sensible enough to tactfully solve major issues confronting the nation by taking the opposition along.

The opposition should also be blamed for trying to exploit the situation to their advantage. Opposition leader Khursheed Shah seems to be looking for an opportunity to settle scores with the government over the Dr Asim Hussain case, the recent arrest of Lyari gang-war leader Uzair Baloch and the charges levelled against him by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali. Similarly, PTI Chairman Imran Khan would never let any situation go without getting some political advantage that gets him closer to his cherished dream of getting the coveted PM’s seat. Had there been sincere people around, the situation would not have gone the way it has.

Zahid Ali Khan

Rawalpindi