KARACHI: Employees of the Pakistan International Airlines on Monday staged a protest demonstration at the head office of the national flag carrier over the recent promulgation of an ordinance by the president of Pakistan to change its status from a corporation to a company.

Terming the move a first step to privatise the PIA on the dictates of the international financial institutions, the protesting employees sought immediate repeal of the ordinance that they said was promulgated in haste despite the fact that the national assembly and senate are functioning to discuss the issues of national importance.

The PIA workers, who had gathered in large numbers at the head office, chanted slogans against the proposed privatisation of the national asset that they said was showing signs of economic revival owing to their untiring efforts.

President of the Air League of PIA Employees (CBA) Union, which is supporter of the PML-Nawaz, Shamim Akmal said that the government invested huge funds in the airline owing to which the number of aircraft increased and with workers’ efforts the airline gained an operating profit. With more aircraft joining the fleet, the profitable routes that had been shut down were being reopened, he said.

Mr Akmal asked the government on initiate a dialogue with the PIA employees to find ways how the airline could be made more profitable. He said that the PIA’s CBA union was a supporter of the ruling party but even then it had not been consulted before this ‘extreme step’ was taken.

Representatives of other employees groups and sections including Zakir Farooq, Aqeel Siddiqui, Naseem Raza, Nasrullah Afridi, Naseer Ahmed, Mohammad Ubaid and Ashraf Biloo also spoke. They urged all the workers to forge unity to foil the PIA privatisation plan.

Meanwhile, in response to the employees’ protest, a PIA spokesperson said the reservations of the employees would be conveyed to the government. He said efforts were being made in this connection.

He added that the management had requested the employees to make sure that flight operations were not disrupted so that passengers of the airline do not face any difficulties.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2015