Staff Reporter
ISLAMABD: Pakistan International Airline is paying around 4 million rupees per month to three top officials hired in June 2014 the Secretary Aviation, Muhammad Ali Gardezi told committee members in a meeting of Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privilege held here on Thursday. According to details question was asked by the member committee Shugufta Jumani of Pakistan Peoples Party regarding the recent appointments of directors and senior staff in PIA, The Secretary admitting the issues of mismanagement in the institute said that in June 2014 four new appointments were made including one Chief Legal Officer (CLO) Waseem Saleemi, whose salary is 2.5 million rupees and two General Managers (GM) to whom department is paying 7 to 8 lakh rupees per month. He said Managing Director (MD) has entitled for M1 scale and getting Rs3.5 million rupees per month. MNA Shagufta Jumani of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) said that there are some black hands behind the bad management of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) who are willing to privatize this institute as many of the plane have been grounded. She said law department should be involved for legal assistance and case should be pursued accordingly. Expressing his concerns over misbehavior with parliamentarian she said this is matter of great concern that bureaucracy is not giving due respect to parliamentarians. She said they earn millions of rupees in shape of handsome salaries and allowances but the support staff who works for more than ten hours a day is underpaid. Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani told the chairman committee that PIA and Airblue both have planes on lease but if we see the difference of the amount paid to lasing companies that will give a new picture of how corruption is at its peak in PIA. Kiran Haider said that airhostesses working with PIA have to work more than twenty hours a day and department is paying them just eight thousand rupees per month as basic pay and rupees 300 on every domestic flight. She said they were paid Rs. 10 for tea, 20 for breakfast and 30 rupees for lunch that is by all means illegal and immoral. “PIA should take the matter of the salaries of junior staff seriously and increase their salaries and allowances” she added.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed assured the committee members that he will immediately call the meeting of Civil Aviation and invite the movers of the motions against PIA also in the meeting to avoid any misconduct by the department in future.
