ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: As of now, a total of 819 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees have been dismissed from service on the basis of fake/bogus/tempered academic documents, the Senate was told.
Replying to a question in writing, the Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan told the Senate on Tuesday, that cases of the dismissed 819 PIA employees have been referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for criminal proceedings while cases against 21 employees are under process.
The House was told that all the officers/staff responsible for the recruitment of these 840 employees have been retired from the services, so no disciplinary proceeding can be initiated against them under PIA service rules.
To another question, the minister told that PIA has never operated flights to Australia and New Zealand. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the PIA operated special flights to Australia to facilitate stranded Pakistanis by bringing them back to their homeland.
The aviation minister apprised that all routes on PIA network are evaluated on a regular basis to establish operational and economic viability. He said PIA is keeping a constant eye on the market indicators and traffic trends and will take necessary steps to mountain flights at any stage it is found economically viable and subject to availability of aircraft.
