PIA officers association’s office sealed after protest
- By Salah Uddin -
- Aug 21, 2023
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) administration has sealed the office of the airline’s Senior Officers Association (SSA) for holding protests with other employee associations against the privatisation and bifurcation decisions, ARY News reported on Monday.
The PIA Senior Staff Association (SSA) office has been sealed by the national airline’s administration for a series of protests against privatisation, bifurcation and for salary raise.
The SSA office was sealed over the directives of the airline’s GM Welfare IR & Sports Shoaib Ahmad Dahri, according to the copy of an email obtained by ARY News.
PIA SSA Secretary General Safdar Anjum said in a statement that the administration took an illegal step by sealing the association’s office. He termed the admin’s move as a bid to destroy peaceful environment.
Related: PIA CBA union announces strike against privatisation
He vowed that the protests will be continued till the demands are met.
Prior to the development, the PIA employees staged a protest against the proposed privatisation of the airline. The protestors demanded the higher authorities approve their charter of demand.
They also demanded to raise salaries of the employees. The PIA employees also observed a strike for demanding a salary raise.
Related: Outsourcing of airports: Govt, CAA unions fail to reach consensus
On Thursday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) ticket booking offices had been closed for two hours as a token strike by the employees to protest against privatisation.
The PIA CBA Lahore Secretary General Rana Kashif had given the call for the strike. He announced that the PIA booking offices across the country will remain closed for two hours from 3 pm to 5 pm against the privatisation of the national entity.
The ticket issuance process had remained closed between 3 pm to 5 pm.
It may be noted that the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) last Monday had given its nod to the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The decision was made during a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCoP), with then Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar in the chair.