Rehman: No serious action to save PIA
PPPP senator says government not keen to save airline or hold people accountable for massive losses
Vice-President PPPP (Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians), Senator Sherry Rehman, expressed dismay over the disastrous performance of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the last four years.
“No serious action has been taken to save PIA or hold people accountable for the losses and malfeasance even after two years of hard work by the parliamentary committee’s scrutiny and diligent questioning,” said the outspoken Senator while speaking after the Special Committee on the Performance of PIA
In a statement sent to Gulf News on Wednesday, Rehman said no satisfactory answers were ever provided on the setting up of the Premier Service, its lack of business plan, quiet dissolution and huge losses to PIA worth Rs3 billion (Dh99.62 million).
Huge losses
Rehman, the former Information Minister of Pakistan further stated, “With only a few dozen planes and accumulated losses of Rs345 billion, it pains us to say that PIA is now among the world’s most poorly managed airlines. A serious management overhaul, starting from the top management needed”.
“It is shocking that until the Committee pointed out, no action was about to be taken on the Airbus that found itself parked in Leipzig Museum, nor against the officials who flouted PPRA rules to sell it off and flee from station,” she said.
The Board, she added, may want to address why PIA was cannibalised against their Committee’s advice to operate a new service without a clear business plan or financial stabilisation of the existing PIA.
“I appreciate the good work done by the Committee and the stewardship of the Chair, Senator Muzaffar H Shah, but it seems all our advice falls on deaf ears,” added the Senator.
Rehman also voiced concern over the aviation policy where an unfettered open skies policy took away key routes from PIA saying, “The government never brought this policy to the table, they allowed other airlines to muscle out PIA from all big routes, not just a select few.” is desperately