RAWALPINDI: Pakis­tan International Airlines (PIA) has dismissed repo­rts that its operations would be affected as emp­loyees were considering a strike over non-payment of salaries, but the national flag carrier agreed that it faced financial difficulties this month “due to the country’s economic situation, made worse by a few necessary payments”.

A PIA spokesperson said the airline had paid the salaries of Group 1 to 4 staff on time. However, the salaries of officers and other officials have been delayed for a few days, he said, but added that they would be paid in the next few days.

The spokesperson clarified that PIA officers, including pilots, were fulfilling their responsibilities with “complete dedication and persistence”, and that the airline was fully functional and operational.

“The attempt by some elements to publish the news about influencing the operation is baseless and misleading,” he added.

The Senate Standing Committee on Aviation was informed in a recent meeting that many pilots were fleeing the country because of salary cuts in the form of high taxes.

The PIA’s chief executive officer informed the committee that 15 pilots had recently left the country and that a Supreme Court appeal for hiring young male staff for PIA had not yet been entertained.

The committee’s chairman, Senator Hidayat­ullah, said the future of aspiring pilots was in jeopardy and asked Senator Saleem Mandviwalla to take up the issue with the Federal Board of Revenue in the Senate Finance Committee.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2023