PIA employees continue sit-in in Karachi, Faisalabad office resumes service
Workers of the national airline are rallying in Quetta from head office to airport
KARACHI (Dunya News) – Offices of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) are closed on the 15th consecutive day owing to employees’ strike across the country against privatization, Dunya News reported Tuesday.
Courier and cargo services are shut along with closure of booking counters.
Employees of the Faisalabad division have returned to work stations and are performing the duties their assigned duties.
Whereas a sit-in protest is ongoing outside Karachi head office. Employees in Lahore, Multan and other cities are protesting against proposed privatization of the company.
Workers of the national airline are rallying in Quetta from head office to airport.
Abandoned counters of Quetta office today
Joint Action Committee (JAC) has stated that raids are being conducted at employees’ residences as part of harassment tactics.
On the other hand the committee has demanded the Prime Minister (PM) to nominate Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif or Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar for talks to settle the issue in case he is not available.
JAC Chairman Sohail Baloch said that the committee was not blackmailing the government and was ready for a dialogue.
Baloch further said that the protesters were aware of the problems faced by the passengers due to the suspension of the flight operations. He said that the issue would soon be resolved.
He also announced provision of the services to the Umrah pilgrims.
On Monday morning, PIA’s missing employees were released by unidentified individuals who left them near Karachi’s Nagin Chowrangi area.
Four workers of the national airline, Hidayatullah, Saifullah, Zameer Chandio and Mansoor were missing since 2nd February.
Flight operations were suspended in the past week by the JAC and Palpa after two workers of PIA lost their lives during protest. As protesters rallied towards the airport from head office, gun fires were heard and two wounded were shifted to local hospital where they succumbed to injuries.
Series of protests was launched by the employees after government s decision to privatize the company came in. Protests led to postponement of the process by six months however, the deferment did not reverse the decision.
Water cannon parked at Lahore airport clicked today
According to statistics, PIA is further going deep in quagmire after the postponement as Rs 11 crores are adding to the debt on daily basis.
The protesters are not budging while the government is also standing ground. On February 2, the government had used coercive methods to deter the employees. Water cannons and law enforcers were called at the protesting sites in Lahore and Karachi. Protesting workers were baton charged and arrests were made however such tactics were not seen for the second time by the government.
Protesters in leadership of the committee have agreed for talks however, the parties have not hit a common point so far.
Around five flights carrying Umrah pilgrims arrived on Monday. However, the protesting body had shifted returnees who were bound for Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad and other cities to the federal capital.
Government has maintained that privatization of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), Pakistan International Airline and State Life is cornerstone for economical development.
