Outsourcing of airports: Aviation minister, CAA unions hold talks

LAHORE: Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique held talks with the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) officers and employees’ unions who are protesting against the outsourcing of airports, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Sources told ARY News that partial progress was made on the issue of airports’ outsourcing during the talks between the aviation minister and the unions. It was decided that a meeting will be held between CAA representatives and the standing committee for outsourcing led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Sources added that the unions expressed their reservations over the outsourcing of airports in the meeting held at Mayo Garden Lahore which was attended by the aviation minister, secretary aviation division and DG CAA Khaqan Murtaza.

The CAA unions were represented by Samiullah and others. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar summoned a key session of the cabinet committee on Tuesday.

READ: CAA protests: Aviation minister invites unions’ heads for talks

Khawaja Saad Rafique asked the unions to present their written reservations to the cabinet committee.

The cabinet committee members include Federal Minister Naveed Qamar, Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, three federal ministers and World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) representatives.

After the meeting, the unions announced to continue the protest movement until written assurance from the federal government. Additionally, Rafique also formed a committee headed by the secretary aviation to address issues of the aviation employees.

READ: Govt to outsource Islamabad airport before end of tenure

Earlier, the federal government decided to hold talks with the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) officers and employees’ unions who are protesting against the outsourcing of airports.

Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique invited the heads of the CAA unions for holding talks on the issue of airports’ outsourcing.

The CAA employees’ unions were represented by Samiullah, Azizullah Memon, Ayaz Butt, Ashraf Waheed and others in the upcoming talks.

READ: Govt initiates outsourcing of three airports, ECC told

The CAA officers and employees’ unions had launched a protest movement against the federal government’s decision to outsource airports in phases. The CAA employees have also threatened to shut down all operations.

Moreover, the CAA unions unveiled a schedule for the next series of protests at different airports. The civil aviation authority workers will hold a protest on August 1 at the Islamabad airport, August 8 at the Lahore airport and August 17 at the Karachi airport in which they will also organise a rally.