ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday once again said that the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would not be privatised, rather it was being converted into a public limited company through legislation in parliament.
Winding up the debate on a motion regarding imposition of the Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act in the National Assembly, Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid said that in the past the same act had been invoked starting from the first tenure of the incumbent prime minister. He said the act was also imposed during the tenure of former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto, Yousuf Raza Gilani and four times during the Musharraf government.
The minister told the House that the national flag carrier suffered a loss of Rs4.31 billion in different heads due to the strike. “It had been promised by the prime minister, finance minister and chairman of the Privatisation Commission that the PIA will not be privatised and it will continue to act as the national flag carrier,” he said.
He said a statuary guarantee was given in the bill that no employee of the airline would be laid off and they would continue to receive the same remunerations. He said it was also aimed to upgrade the airline’s operation and its financial position, adding the law would bring more transparency, accountability and enhance the image of the airline.
Rejecting the impression that the bill was bulldozed in the National Assembly, the minister said the whole procedure standing and special committees of the House. The minister pointed out that 3,914 employees were retired during 2008-2013 and 3,654 employees were recruited during this period while from 2013 to 2015, 2,959 employees of the airline were retired and 693 were recruited.
Meanwhile, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi defended prices of petroleum products in the country insisting that the prices are lowest as compared to other countries of the world.
Winding up a debate in the National Assembly, the minister also defended continued imposition of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC), saying that it was required for improvement of gas supply system in the country.
Earlier, the House completed debate on a motion regarding situation arising out of non-reduction of oil prices in accordance with the international market and implementation of the Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1952 in the PIA.
Sher Akbar Khan of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) called upon the government to control corruption in the country. He also demanded end of petroleum levy on petroleum products. Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said doing business is not the job of the government. He said the opposition is giving political colour to the privatisation issue of the PIA.
