A civil court in Lahore issued bailable warrants for the arrest of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik and three other officers for "contempt of court", it emerged on Tuesday.

Civil Judge Muhammad Akram Azad issued the warrants because of the PIA officers' failure to submit a compliance report regarding the court's verdict from January, which was issued on a petition filed by a sacked pilot.

Captain Shahzad Aziz, through his counsel Advocate Nabeel Javed Kahloon, had challenged his dismissal from PIA in the civil court, saying the respondents had removed him from service illegally and with "mala fide intentions" in January.

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The court had ordered that Aziz be restored to his position and a compliance report be submitted. When its orders were not implemented, contempt of court proceedings were initiated against the PIA leadership.

After they failed to appear before the judge for the contempt of court hearing, judge Azad on Monday issued bailable arrest warrants against the PIA chief executive, Director Flight Operations Captain Uzair Khan, Chief Pilot Captain Ali Zamman and Chief Human Resource Officer Air Vice Marshal Subhan Nazir Syed.

The judge directed authorities to arrest the respondents and produce them at the next hearing on April 24.

PIA Spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar told Dawn that "the PIACL respects the honourable courts and will act in accordance with law."