Summary The PIA's entire flight schedule, including all international flights, has been restored
Dunya News Report (Jibran Dost)
KARACHI: The Joint Action Committee of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Tuesday announced to end the strike and asked the employees to resume flight operations across the country with immediate effect.
Spokesman for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Daniyal Gillani confirmed the restoration of all PIA flights stating “The PIA’s entire flight schedule, including all international flights, has been restored. The passengers may come to airports as per their flight reservations.”
At a press conference in Karachi on Tuesday, Joint Action Committee chairman Captain Sohail Baloch announced the decision to end the strike and stated “I request all the airline workers to work with full dedication and pay no heed to anyone trying to disrupt the flight operations. A kind friend advised us to call of the strike.”
At the same time, Cpt Baloch added that he will meet Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore today. “We hope that the meeting with Punjab chief minister will be satisfactory and beneficial for both the government and the employees of Pakistan International Airlines,” Cpt Baloch expressed.
Earlier this week, flight operations throughout the country partially resumed as two PIA flights carrying 725 Umrah pilgrims from Jeddah landed at Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad on Sunday.
The first flight PK-7330 carried 400 passengers while the second flight PK 760 carried 325 passengers. In addition, flights PK-4232 and PK-605 departed for Abu Dhabi and Gilgit from Islamabad airport on Sunday morning.
Last week, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) management organized four Boeing 747 jumbo planes to return home Pakistani pilgrims abandoned in Jeddah because of the cancellation of PIA flights due to the protests in the country against privatisation.
On the other hand, Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached an understanding regarding the privatization of the national carrier.
According to the Ministry of Finance and Privatisation, the understanding to postpone the privatisation of the PIA by 6 months was reached during the last meeting that took place in Dubai.
Chairman of the Joint Action Committee Captain Sohail Baloch while speaking to media representatives in Karachi stated that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should not create the PIA a problem of his ego and called for an instant dialogue to settle the issue and the suffering being faced by the people due to closure of flights.
On February 2, Rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons were used as law enforcers engaged in an attempt to deter the protest of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees against the privatization of the national carrier.
According to a Joint Action Committee (JAC) spokesperson, the strike proceeded because the government had not accepted the body’s four-point agenda.
PIA JAC’s four-point agenda:
- Government should immediately take back the bill passed on January 21 converting the national flag carrier into a public limited company.
- PIA’s employees be provided a chance to reform the airline. If the employees fail to do so, the government will have the freedom to do whatever it finds suitable.
- Privatisation, in any form, whether it is in form of a strategic partner or selling of 36 per cent or 1 pc of the organisation’s shares, is not acceptable to the employees.
- Government should immediately review the aviation policy and form a committee for this purpose comprising members from PIA employees’ JAC along with PIA experts Khusheed Anwar, Kamran Hasan and Salahuddin.
