KARACHI, March 7: In the wake of the European Union ban on most of PIA aircraft, the associations of pilots, aircraft engineers, flight engineers and other employees on Wednesday pledged their support and cooperate in keeping the national flag carrier’s flight operation throughout the network unhindered.

The renewed pledge came in a letter addressed to PIA Chairman Tariq Kirmani and signed by Shaukat Jamshed, President of the President Society of Aircraft Engineer of Pakistan, Captain Khalid Hamza, President of the Pakistan Airline Pilots’ Association, Shamim Akmal, President of the Air League and Abid Saleem of the PIA Senior Staff Association, and leaders of the Association of Flight Engineers.

“As employees of PIA, we are cognisant of the developing scenario because of the imposition of partial EU ban and the serious sequel that could impact the PIA operations to European destinations. The consequences of this operational disruption would be of quite serious nature, which the airline can ill afford,” said the letter.

The associations offered their services to the PIA management in chalking out a practical strategy to regain the confidence of foreign civil aviation regulatory authorities at the earliest. They sought an urgent interaction with PIA chairman on the vital points.—Staff Reporter