Amid worsening financial crisis, Pakistan International Airline (PIA) continues to offer incentives to its officers and it has been revealed that officers have appointed on deputation abroad despite ban on the national flag carrier despite ban on it in Europe and Britain. PIA was spending millions of rupees on salaries, allowances and officers and local employees hired on deputation in Europe, United Kingdom and United States despite ban on the airline in the respective countries which was question mark on performance of authorities. As per official documents available with INP, the PIA was going through critical economic instability and even unable to pay salaries of August to its employees besides meeting other expanses but on the other hand, lack of financial discipline and mismanagement was startling.

After the 24th June 2020 statement of former federal minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Europe, United Kingdom and the United States imposed a ban on Pakistani airlines, which came into effect on July 3, 2020. According to official documents, PIA had hired local citizens in Europe, United Kingdom and the United States under local laws and they were still serving for it. A total of 26 local nationals were serving for PIA in UK and USA and nine officers were posted on deputation from Pakistan. As many as 22 local people were employed in PIA UK and their pay scale was 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. A local citizen whose pay scale is 3 has been hired in the US. Despite closure of flights for India, two Indian nationals hired by PIA on deputation with scale 3 & 4 are acquiring the salary of the airline. There was a local citizen deputed in France who has a pay scale of four.

Meanwhile, despite ban, PIA officials have been deputed in Europe and United Kingdom for three years who enjoying high monthly salary and other incentives despite ban on the airline. Two PIA officers from Pakistan have been appointed on deputation in France, whose pay scale is 6 and 7. These two officers are posted in France (Paris) from the year 2022. In UK, PIA has appointed seven employees and their pay scale is 6 to 9 and they are posted in Birmingham, London and Manchester. It should be noted that since July 2020, PIA has been banned in Europe, United Kingdom and America and it cannot operate there, but millions of rupees were being paid per officer posted on deputation. When PIA spokesperson contacted to get his viewpoint in this regard, he did not respond.(M.Awais)

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)