Govt bows down to PIA employees, postpones privatisation for 6 months
Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan announced the decision of govt in a press conference
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Government has finally bowed down to the pressure of Pakistan International Airline s (PIA) employees and have decided on Friday to postpone the privatisation of PIA for another 6 months. The decision was announced by Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan in a press conference, reported Dunya News.
According to the details, the Senator said that Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif wants to increase the number of airplanes in PIA s fleet by 80 to 100. He said that the premier also wants to solve the issues with the employees of PIA through negotiations, adding that they will not be blackmailed with pressure. He told that the postponement of strategic partnership in PIA is for 6 months.
The Senator further added that the corruption in Pakistan is so rampant that no one can stop it alone. He said that in their tenure the number of airlplanes in PIA have increased from 18 to 40. He told that no employee will be sacked from PIA.
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Meanwhile, the employees of PIA protested countrywide against the privatisation of the national airline. In Karachi, the head office and administration offices were shutdown and there was a sit-in in front of the PIA head office.
The protestors gave an hour long sit-in in front of airport which led to the closure of all the airport gates. This increased the difficulties of the passengers and there were huge lines of passenger vehicles with their luggage outside the airport. The passengers had to walk for more than one and a half kilometres to reach the airport.
On the other hand, the negotiations between the government representatives and the Peoples Unity of PIA Employees (CBA) officials are in process in Islamabad. The employees say that they will not accept any solution other than the rollback of privatisation of PIA, reverting the institution into a public limited company and withdrawing the bill passed in the National Assembly. This is why the government has finally bowed down to the demands of the employees.
