Police conduct raids to arrest PIA CBA leaders

KARACHI: The police department has conducted raids at the residence of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) CBA leaders following their protests against privatisation and salary raises, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Police raided the residences of PIA CBA People’s Unity leaders for their arrests against the protests against privatisations and for salary raises. The raids were conducted in PIA Township in which the airline’s security officers were also present.

The PIA administration registered cases against the protesting PIA employees. Police and airport security officials searched the houses during the raids.

A CBA leader told the media that police officials harassed his family members during the raid. Sources told ARY News that there is no confirmation regarding the arrest of any CBA People’s Unity or Officers Association’s office-bearers.

On Friday, it emerged that the administration of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) decided to take legal action against the employees protesting against the privatisation of the national flag carrier and demanding salary raise.

Sources told ARY News that the PIA administration completed its legal consultations to take action against employees protesting against the privatisation plan and demanding salary raises.

The action will be taken against the alleged violations of the Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1952, which was imposed in May, said sources, adding that the negligence in performing tasks would be considered a crime.

Under the Essential Services Act, the employees were banned from gathering crowds or staging protests or sit-ins.

Earlier, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) administration sealed the office of the airline’s Senior Officers Association (SSA) for holding protests with other employee associations against the privatisation and bifurcation decisions.

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.

Prior to the developments, the PIA employees staged a protest against the proposed privatisation of the airline. The protestors demanded the higher authorities approve their charter of demand.