SC declares PIA CEO Musharraf Rasool's appointment invalid

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday declared the appointment of Musharraf Rasool Cyan as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) null and void.

A bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, gave this ruling on a petition challenging the appointment of the national flag carrier’s head.

It held that Mr Cyan was appointed to the post in violation of the relevant rules and regulations. Besides, a committee to appoint the PIA CEO was not set up as per the procedure.

The court said it would issue a detailed judgment later.

Justice Nisar said he respected former aviation adviser Sardar Mehtab Abbasi for being a politician. Mr Abbasi was removed from the post of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor and made aviation adviser to run such a big organization despite the fact that he didn’t possess any previous experience of aviation, he observed.

He questioned what did Mr Abbasi have to do with the appointment of the PIA CEO?

The chief Justice said the people having good credentials ought to come to the forefront to fix things. Mr Cyan didn’t deserve to be appointed to the post, he added.

Earlier, the Supreme Court was informed that Mr. Cyan has previously served as chief of the staff of former KP chief minister Sardar Mehtab Abbasi in 1999.

The petitioner said the incumbent CEO doesn’t possess the credentials required to be appointed to such a post nor does he has 25-year experience of working for any airline.

At this, the chief justice wondered how Mr. Cyan has been handpicked for the post and observed this is a case of the NAB.

A prosecutor of the anti-graft watchdog informed that its senior official is probing the matter.