ISLAMABAD, Jan 1 (APP):Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chairman Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik Tuesday apprised Prime Minister Imran Khan that 194 ghost employees, 73 cabin crew and seven pilots possessing fake degrees were expelled from the organization in the last two months.
The PIA chairman briefed the prime minister in detail about the steps taken to revive and run the national flag carrier on the professional and organized manner, eradication of corruption and mismanagement, reduction in the losses and improvement in its services.
The prime minister, who presided over the high level meeting, was apprised that the PIA had been incurring a total loss of Rs 414.3 billion, including Rs 247 billion loans, Rs 144.7 billion arrears and Rs 4 billion for payment of loans on monthly installment basis, besides payment of Rs1.5 billion as monthly interest.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Privatization and Aviation Mohammad Mian Soomro, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Senator Faisal Javed and other senior officials, PM Office media wing in a press release said.
The prime minster observed that being the national flag carrier, the PIA had been the country’s identity but unfortunately, it was included in those organizations which had borne the brunt of the past mismanagement, corruption and vested interests. The common man and the tax payers had to bear its burden continuously.
He also expressed his satisfaction over the present management’s efforts and assured the government’s complete support in the revival of the national airlines by turning it into a profit generating organization.
The prime minister directed the PIA chairman to finalize a comprehensive and complete business plan, so that its losses could be netted, by making the PIA a profit-earning and financially stabilized organization.
The prime minister was further told that due to lack of attention on the profit earning and non-profit earning routes in the past, the PIA was suffering a loss of Rs 500 million alone on the seven international routes. Considering those losses, the current management was reviewing the international routes. Moreover, it was also separately running into losses on different inland non-profitable routes.
The meeting was told that the negligence towards the conditions of aeroplanes and land facilities led to lack of basic facilities, whereas on the other hand, expensive machinery and tools were getting rust and dust under the open sky. The present management especially focused on those issues, it was added.
The prime minister was further apprised about the steps taken for the enhancement of the professional capacities of the current manpower.
The meeting also took stock of the measures and reforms being taken for the revival of the national flag carrier, efforts for acquiring of new aeroplanes, simulators for training of pilots, training of the cabin crew and other financial issues.
The prime minister was told that it was being ensured to pay salaries and pensions to the lower grade employees of PIA, similarly, its resources were being retrieved from those who had occupied them illegally, so that it could be spent judiciously.
The PIA chairman also briefed the prime minister about the upcoming three months planning and the long term planning.
