RAWALPINDI: Hund­reds of air travellers were stranded at three major airports on Monday night due to a strike by aircraft engineers, which delayed at least six flights of the national flag carrier.

Similar delays occurred at nearly all major airports in last two months due to engineers’ protest seeking pay hike and other issues.

According to sources, hundreds of Umrah pilgrims were stranded at the Islamabad, Lahore and Kara­chi airports due to the delay in PIA flights scheduled for Saudi Arabia.

A spokesman for PIA said the Society of Aircraft Engineers had no legal status and alleged that the main aim of this movement was to sabotage PIA’s privatisation, which was in its final stages.

He warned that the Essential Services Act was in force in PIA under which strikes or abandonment of work was a legal offence. “All elements involved in or supporting such actions as part of a conspiracy will face legal action,” he warned, adding that the management was obtaining alternative engineering services from other airlines to resume operations.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2025