ISLAMABAD: As many as 14 trainee engineers of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against non-regularisation of their services even after completion of their training and all codal formalities.

According to a petition filed through their counsel Barrister Umer Gillani, the management of the national flag carrier recruited them as trainees in 2008 with the written pledge of their permanent induction in four years. However, they were not elevated as aircraft engineers and have continued working on the same post of trainee engineers for over a decade.

The petitioners claimed that they were being victimised by non-engineers who were unionised and had hijacked the decision-making process in the PIA.

The petitioners said they had obtained Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) recognised engineering degrees and were recruited by PIA on contractual basis after a nationwide competitive process.

Their contracts promised that they would be made permanent upon obtaining an aircraft maintenance licence from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The petitioners obtained the licence years ago but were still not made permanent, it added.

The petitioners claimed that they had been relegated to the status of trainees for over 12 years while their junior technicians had received multiple promotions which amounted to a violation of their fundamental right to equality and dignity.

They alleged that “ironically the engineering department of PIA is dominated by technicians, a rival category.”

According to the petition, the technicians occupy most of the top administrative positions. Besides, they are also unionised and unlike engineers are eligible for the membership of at least six registered trade unions: People’s Unity of PIA Employees, Air League of PIAC Employees, PIA Insaf Employees Front, PIAC Employees Union, United Workers Union of PIA, Skyways Union of PIA.

These labour unions are affiliated with mainstream political parties such as Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamaat-i-Islami and MQM Pakistan.

The petition stated that as a result of a combination of these factors the technicians have established a stranglehold in the decision-making process in the PIA.

After hearing preliminary arguments, Justice Aamir Farooq issued notices to PIA Chief Executive Officer retired Air Marshal Arshad Khan, the PIA board chairman and the Pakistan Engineering Council.

They were directed to submit comments with two weeks.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2021