ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee on Tuesday postponed all the agenda items related to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) after its chief executive officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik did not attend proceedings for the third consecutive time.

“We understand that an official is caught up in important appointments but whatever the engagement it is not to supersede meetings of parliamentary committees,” said Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation Senator Mushahidullah Khan of the PML-N.

PPP’s Senator Sherry Rehman said it was disrespectful for head of the national flag carrier to skip the meeting again and again.

Two months ago, the chair of the committee had postponed the meeting when the CEO did not attend it.

Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department Mohammad Riaz briefed the committee about forecasts and responsibilities of his organisation.

The official said the Met Office provided services in 10 areas, including weather forecast to the aviation sector. Weather reports contained details for pilots within a five to 30 kilometres radius, including weather hazards.

Mr Riaz said the National Forecast Centre provided weather updates from 24 hours to 36 hours, up to 48 hours and one week reports daily.

“This information is shared with all concerned departments such as provincial disaster management authorities.”

According to the official, 97 observatory stations were operational in Pakistan, 50 per cent of which were installed at the time of partition of the country and five or six even older.

Responding to a question on services to the aviation sector, Mr Riaz said the role of the Met Office was limited to providing advisory.

Phenomena like microburst, mobile bubble of strong currents difficult to detect in the radar and clear air turbulence, which usually occurred at 35,000 feet roughly, were some of the threats to an aircraft, he said.

In response to another question about the continuous drought conditions in Sindh and Balochistan, he said these regions were rain deficient.

Referring to the three-year-long droughts in Balochistan, he said dry conditions became worse after the deteriorating global environment favoured the already dry weather persisting for a long time.

About floods, the official said the threat of floods were highest in the monsoon season from July to September.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2019