LHC orders PIA to implement women quota while recruiting pilots

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday directed the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to implement the 10 per cent women quota while recruiting pilots.

Hearing a petition against the female quota, a two member bench of LHC, headed by Justice Mamoon Rasheed ordered the national flag carrier to strictly implement on the women quota while recruiting employees.

PIA’s counsel had pleaded the court to declare the earlier verdict of the court pertaining to women quota null and void so as to select competent candidates. He was of the view that the court verdict about allocating quota for women was against the rules and facts.

The court expressed annoyance with the PIA over neglecting the women’s quota while recruiting employees.

The court adjourned the hearing and sought the counsels of both parties for arguments on the next hearing.

Earlier, the LHC on April 5 last year, had ordered the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to allocate a 10 per cent quota for women while recruiting new pilots.

Komal Zafar, an aspirant for a pilot job, had filed a petition in the LHC accusing the national carrier of ignoring the female quota in its advertisement regarding new recruitments and terming it unconstitutional.