KARACHI, March 13: A division bench of the Sindh High Court comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro and Justice Syed Pir Ali Shah on Thursday issued notices to the Pakistan International Airlines and the secretary defence in a petition filed by an aircraft engineer.

Mohammad Javed moved court challenging the implementation of a notification with retrospective effect requiring of him to pay a sum of Rs1,346,000 incurred upon his training before the settlement of his dues and final payment.

The petitioner submitted that he joined PIA as a technician in 1981 and was promoted to the post of an aircraft engineer in 1994 and subsequently obtained training for Boeing aircraft. He said that he opted for voluntary retirement at the completion of 25 years of his service.

According to Mr Javed, his right of resignation was recognized but payment of dues etc was stopped by the PIA through a circular dated September 4, 2006 with retrospective effect.

The bench after hearing initial arguments adjourned the hearing till a date in office.—APP