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KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines Chairman Air Chief Marshal (retd) Rao Qamar Suleman tendered his resignation on Tuesday.
Suleman, who was previously Managing Director PIA, was made chairman on May 22, 2012 after the he PPP-led government removed the then defence minister from the position of chairman PIA.
Suleman, who also a former chief of Pakistan Air Force, reportedly resigned on account of ill-health.
Suleman who is from Okara received his initial training from PAF Public School, Sargodha.
Thereafter, he joined Pakistan Air Force Academy, Risalpur, in 1972 and was commissioned in the Pakistan Air Force as a fighter pilot.
He commanded the PAF from March 18, 2009 to March 18, 2012.
Corruption in the national flag carrier
Last week, the Supreme Court had summoned Suleman for the second week of October on an application moved by the Transparency International-Pakistan voicing apprehensions over the state of affairs and corruption in the national flag carrier.
Citing a newspaper report, the Transparency International had requested Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take notice of a host of issues prevalent in PIA like purchase of aircraft on very high prices and a loss of Rs410 million suffered by the airline because of cancellation of 1,200 flights between August and November last year.
The apex court is also seized with a set of petitions alleging rampant corruption and mismanagement in PIA.
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Comments (34) Closed
Sep 18, 2012 07:25pm
Every organization has gone bankcrupt due to rampant corruptions at every level. PIA ,Pakistan Railway, Steel Mill and KESC are all collapsed. Still no body is sent to jail or billions of our looted money is recovered. It is another SWISS BANK scenario.
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Sep 18, 2012 09:45am
Those person who make a chairman to improve PIA servica.
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Sep 18, 2012 12:25pm
Oh please! enough is enough he reaped all the benifits while he was Air Chief Marshal and yet failed to defend our borders, our skies and our bases. If you hand over an incompetent (I must also say a corrupt) person an important task you will expect failure. He was a part of a corrupt organization for so long, and failed to deliver. When he saw his future he decided to retire. I am pretty sure there are enough competent people in this country who could handle this organization better. It was a political favour in first. place.
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Sep 18, 2012 08:25pm
I think the chariman was doing some good in PIA. There was quality assurance being put in, airline safety, routing to cut costs, even talk of downsizing. All the right moves. But I think he wasnt being allowed to really change the airline and was being stopped at every turn. I think this is a noble move by Rao. There is no point trying to change an organization that isnt being allowed to change...
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Sep 18, 2012 11:00pm
I don't think we should label the whole organisation (PAF or PIA) incompetent, it depends on the person's integrity and credibility, Air marshal (rtd) Noor Khan was the chairman of PIA and this organisation flourished and was one of the best airlines in the world (1970's) PIA helped the Gulf airline, Emirates and other Airline to start and stand up to their feet. Today PIA is at the lowest and Emirates is the best and most profitable airline in the world. Difference is competence and honesty!! It can be from air force or a civilian!
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Sep 18, 2012 10:31am
Good riddance. An ex-AirForce chief has NO business whatsoever running a commercial airlines. He must already have earned a fortune being Air Chief Marshall.
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Sep 18, 2012 04:00pm
Resignation is not the solution! then who will fix this mess. PIA corruption Sucks big time. What a shame?
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Sep 18, 2012 06:33pm
As long as PIA remains a government entity it will always be in the red and a drain on the exchequer.
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Sep 18, 2012 06:35pm
The Chairman's / MD's and other seniors pay millions to get a chance to be in charge. This was just a scenario that went bad. When PPP is in power they employ their workers (Ghost Employees) into PIA and other government agencies. An example is of Captain Aijaz Haroon, who was ultimately forced to resign. The same is when Sharifs are in authority.
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Sep 18, 2012 04:21pm
PIA suffers because of government interference. Import a chairperson with her/his team of good repute, let them be contracted via the world bank so that the chair is free from external pressures, we will see how quickly efficiency is restored.
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Sep 18, 2012 08:03am
Last chance of putting PIA on track is lost. Is it really ill health or political interference and PIA state beyond recovery. PIA KHUDA HAFIZ.
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Sep 18, 2012 08:07am
It's time to run... majority on top executives in different institutes are resigning or transferring them to unknown areas...
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Sep 18, 2012 06:16pm
a corrupt govt can not make a noble person head of organization. meaning.....
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Sep 18, 2012 06:11pm
Many National Airlines run in loss but PIA is really mismanaged.
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Sep 18, 2012 02:38pm
I would like to share some historical facts about PIA, We must not forget the appointment of Mr.Airmarshal Nur Khan as the MD of PIA in 1959 heralded an era of great successes for PIA.Pakistan International Airline became the first ASIAN airline to induct a jet aircraft in its fleet.
In 1962 PIA's Boeing 720s made a world record for the shortest duration non-stop flight from LONDON to KARACHI a record which still holds to this day.
The appointment of Mr.Nur Khan as its executive for the second term in 1970's marked the beginning of financially successful period for the airline.
In mid 80's PIA helped establish EMIRATES AIRLINE by leasing two of its airplanes as well as providing technical and administrative assistance to the new carrier.
We are having talented people in our homeland who can make changes, By criticizing our country and organizations we are giving a chance to other nations to criticize us openly.
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Sep 18, 2012 05:51pm
Qualified business professionals should run PIA
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Sep 18, 2012 01:00pm
Now all is cleared to sell PIA to the Private sector like KESC, as there is no hope from the current rulers, they are stuck up with the SWISS letter,
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Sep 18, 2012 06:50pm
you could say the same for nur khan who made PIA a proud airlines. PPP is known for enrolling hundreds of people in PIA just to get votes. the only solution is to sell this white elephant off because even an angel cant put this organization right . it is corrupt to the core , and spare rao farman ali who thought he could put it right and left when he saw it from inside. it is a rotten apple which must be discarded.
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Sep 18, 2012 11:12am
PIA is a commercial airline and this should be headed by a well educated and well well experienced seasoned airline and marketing professional. Regarding political pressures and other things let the professional handle it in a professional manner. Political pressures are always there when such a huge company is run even by a non political individual.
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Sep 18, 2012 04:52pm
Sam,
Your response is spot on and I second your views. All top brass in all three departments along with all other politicians are corrupt to their core.
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Sep 18, 2012 11:39am
A noble person can never be a part of corrupt organization. Good move by Rao.
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Sep 18, 2012 04:19pm
Ali, who made PIA one of the best AIR LINE in the world, it was AIR MARSHAL NUR KHAN. Just think before u give ur comments.
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Sep 18, 2012 10:50pm
Agree!!
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Sep 18, 2012 10:56am
Army personnel should never interfere in government matters. If they do then the nation starts to fall towards destruction. The force training is just to protect the country and not to mingle in the administration of the country. An air force person should never have been elected as a chairman in the first place.
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Sep 18, 2012 01:21pm
Only a martial-law type ruling can save PIA from its ruination.
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Sep 18, 2012 11:33am
this wasnt the last chance..it would b far better if someone capable from within the pia, and that too from the engineering ranks is promoted to handle the affairs of the ill fated national flag carrier.
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Sep 18, 2012 03:54pm
Yes you are spot on, put Dasti in this slot.
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Sep 18, 2012 09:08am
a person of the repute ,like ex air chief, should not take charge of the mess like PIA.
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Sep 18, 2012 12:08pm
He should have resigned much earlier..... long before the SC served him a notice!
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Sep 18, 2012 01:42pm
Rao got full power but failed to control.
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Sep 18, 2012 01:50pm
Nonsense. The best times PIA ever saw was under the leadership of Nur Khan. And where did he come from ? Retired Air Chief Marshal.
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Sep 18, 2012 05:17pm
Only a competent educated professional with lot of experience of running an airline could do the job. Appointment without merits for such jobs could not help.
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Sep 19, 2012 02:01pm
an international and a commercial airlines cant run too easy RAO Sahib. its demand Only a competent educated civilian professional with lot of experience of running an airline could do the job.
not only wishes and order...
Nur Khan he was a different type of man yes a hard man. like Hero with superior qualities in every field of administration he proved their qualities in airforce PIA, squash, hocky and cricket. he was actualy hero of this poor nation. so PIA was on top during under command of Nur khan.
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Sep 19, 2012 04:23am
ys u r right
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