ISLAMABAD: Both the chief executive officer (CEO) of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and the acting director general of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have informed the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation that the managing director Askari Aviation Services — a subsidiary of the Army Welfare Trust — had advised them to send an aircraft that had been stranded in Burundi for four days.

“Askari Aviation’s senior official called me and said that as many as 705 troops, performing UN peacekeeping duties, had completed their tenure in Congo and they had to be lifted from there. He said Shaheen Air had to do it but later declined. I told him that we were busy with Haj operations and we had even cancelled some flights to Europe. However, I was told that it is our national duty — so we sent an airplane, which dropped pilgrims at Saudi Arabia and went to Africa. However, it became out of order and it took three days to repair it and then the troops were brought back,” CEO of the PIA Musharraf Rasool said.

“I also got calls from Askari Aviation’s senior officials. They told me that Shaheen Air had to pick the troops up but it had backed out. They asked me to request the PIA to do the job as the PIA is the national flag carrier,” acting DG of the CAA Hassan Baig explained.

During the current month, the PIA’s Boeing-777 remained stranded at Bujumbura (Burundi) airport as the aircraft’s Auxiliary Power Unit broke down. After repairing the faulty unit, the plane finally flew back home.

The matter was taken up by the chairman of the standing committee, Mushahidullah Khan, who inquired why the aircraft was sent to Africa and how it had become ‘out of order.’

Senator Mian Ateeq said that according to the information he has in the past an airline, from Sharjah, used to carry the troops. The senator wondered why it was not hired this time, and why an aircraft of the PIA was sent there considering the national airline is busy with Haj operations.

However, after hearing representatives of the CAA and the PIA, the committee decided to wind up the matter.

The Safari flight to Skardu

The flight had 56 revenue passengers, 43 other passengers and around 20 employees of the PIA who were flown free of cost to Skardu. CAA acting DG Baig was also among the passengers. However, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, while taking notice of the matter, directed the CEO of the PIA to deposit Rs 2.3 million from his own pocket. The CEO informed the committee that he had deposited the amount but he believed that he had not done anything wrong. He said the case was under way and that he will clear his position.

While discussing the matter of the safari flight, the committee expressed deep concerns over the incident and did not accept the explanation given by the PIA that it was done purely for promotion purposes. The CEO said that the purpose of the flight was to promote tourism and to earn more revenue for the national flag carrier and there was no mala fide intention.

Polish tourist video

While discussing the issue of a video of a Polish tourist, dancing in a Pakistani flag on Independence Day in and around a PIA aircraft, the representative of the airline said that the tourist had apologised.

He said that the Polish tourist danced in a simulator, rather than an aircraft, and that the aircraft was also parked in a hangar. He said that she had a huge following on social media and that she was allowed to undertake a promotional activity.

The Polish tourist, Eva zu Beck, performed the popular Kiki Challenge while wearing a dress in the colour of the national flag. The chairman of the National Accountability Bureau has taken notice of the issue.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2018