RAWALPINDI: The employees of PIA have been barred from visiting offices of the airline other than their own and directed to obtain a written permission from their in-charges or supervisory officers even for going to the medical centre.

The aim to impose the restrictions on the ‘unauthorised’ movement of the employees is to ensure that they worked solidly during the working hours, a source said.

He said the directive was issued on February 10 to all the PIA employees, including those who had been on a strike against the privatisation of the national flag carrier.

The directive issued by the PIA management also told the employees to keep their official identity cards while moving within the premises which might be produced to the security staff or any other authorised officer on demand.

It said the security staff had been directed not to allow any employee to enter the PIA premises without their identity cards.

Directed to obtain permission even for going to medical centre

The employees have also been directed not to move from point to point without an official business. And officers concerned will permit the staff working under them to leave their place of work for personal reasons where sufficient justification existed.

Under certain circumstances the employees shall be permitted to visit other offices or premises during working hours without obtaining prior written permission from his or her immediate officer.

It said the permission along with the identity card shall be produced when required by security officials or a competent authority.

Movement authorisation slips were also delivered to the departments concerned.

The directive issued by the PIA management said any incident of loitering of employees during working hours shall be taken seriously and dealt with as per rules.

It further said that it would be the responsibility of sectional head or supervisor concerned to ensure that no staff member working under them left their place of duty without permission of the incharge or supervisory officer.

Peoples Unity of PIA employees’ union general secretary Sohail Mukhtar said: “The directive restricting the unauthorised movement of PIA employing has been issued under Essential Services Act invoked by the government as no such restrictions were there in the PIA in the past.”

He said under the new restrictions, a PIA employee can’t leave his work place for medical reasons without submitting a “movement authorisation slip.”

However, he said since the Joint Action Committee’s talks with government were in progress, it would be too early to comment on the development.

On the other hand, Zaigham Sajjad Kiyani, the general secretary Air League of Employees Union (CBA), said: “Yes, such a circular barring the PIA employees from visiting other offices or premises has been issued by the PIA management but it seems that they wanted to ensure the presence of employees on duty during working hours.”

He said union office at Benazir Bhutto International Airport was still functional as it had not been closed so far under the Essential Services Act.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2016