ISLAMABAD: Opposition members have decided to raise in the Senate the issue of alleged mismanagement in the affairs of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Dawn has learnt.

The sources said that the opposition would also raise the issue of the recent changes made in the PIA’s administration, adding that a calling attention notice under the Rule 64 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 2012 had already been submitted to the Senate Secretariat in this regard.

“The attention of the minister for aviation is drawn to the fact that a number of changes have taken place in the management of the PIA which is adversely affecting its performance,” says the notice signed by six members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Awami National Party.

PIA director for flights operations resigns over ‘interference’

The notice carries signatures of PPP’s Parliamentary Leader in Senate Raza Rabbani, Saleem Mandviwala, Afrasiab Khattak, Dr Karim Ahmed Khawaja, Maula Bukhsh Chandio and Dr Saeeda Iqbal.

The opposition parties, particularly the PPP, have been speaking against the proposed privatisation of the national flag carrier in the Senate for the past few months and on a number of occasions members have even staged walkouts from the house.

The Senate witnessed an exchange of arguments between the treasury and opposition on the issue of the proposed privatisation of PIA.

The treasury members accused the PPP of making a hue and cry over the proposed privatisation after allegedly destroying the national flag carrier through out-of-merit appointments and financial irregularities during its term in office.

Talking to Dawn, PPP’s Raza Rabbani alleged that the performance of PIA had been deteriorating despite tall claims of the government regarding revamping of the airline. He said that a number of changes had been made in the top management of the PIA, but there had been no sign of improvement in its performance.

Mr Rabbani said he had come to know through media reports that the director flight operations had resigned because of an ongoing tug of war between the management and pilots’ association.

Moreover, he said, the recent decision of the Privatisation Commission to appoint a financial adviser for the PIA had also created a controversy as according to media reports other firms taking part in the process had raised serious objections about the appointment and termed it “non-transparent and nepotism at its peak”.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2014