ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Pakistan Airlines Pilots’ Association (PALPA) has announced to end week-long strike for two days which caused cancellation of countless flights and millions of rupees in losses to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The announcement by the PALPA came after it held a meeting with the Chairman Senator Muhammad Talha Mehmood and members of Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet in Islamabad on Wednesday and received a guarantee from them.
“We are calling off the strike on the guarantee of the Chairman and members of the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet,” PALPA President Amir Hashmi said during the meeting.
The Senate Standing Committee has constituted a committee to resolve the crises within two days among the PIA, PALPA and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
The Committee is headed by Secretary Aviation division Muhammad Ali Gardezi and comprising the representative of PIA, PALPA and CAA.
“We want resolution of this problem for reducing problems of the people who are suffering in result of their tussle”, Senator Talha Mehmood said.
The ultimate beneficiaries of this tussle are private companies which are charging double fares from the passengers, he added.
The Committee also asked the management of CAA and PIA not to impose clauses of the Protection of Pakistan Act and restrain to provide indecent pictures of pilots to the media.
The Chairman also ordered that a report on resolution of the dispute be presented in the committee in its next session on Friday.
The President of PALPA Amir Hashmi told the committee that only 438 pilots are working in PIA on regular basis against demand of around 600.
Secretary Aviation informed the committee that PIA have more than 500 staffers for one flight whereas in the world there are only 170 employees for one flight.
To this Senator Talha observed that the PIA is over burdened but they have lack of staff which was required for operation of the Airline.
The PALPA has presented their terms to PIA administration in Islamabad to end legal action, cancel show cause notice, restore grounded pilots and compile seniority list with the consensus of PALPA.
The Committee also asked the DG CAA and MD PIA to present inquiry report of those pilots whose flying licenses were cancelled by the authorities and showcase notice issued to the former President of PALPA.
All parties including the CAA, PIA and PALPA officials will meet again on Friday to further discuss their demands and resolve the dispute.
APP/DND
