News
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
SC annoyed over non-appointment of PIA chairmanStaff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed grave concern over non-appointment of chairman Pakistan International Airline (PIA).
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry hearing the petition of PML-N leaders regarding the corruption in PIA said three months had lapsed but still the government had not appointed PIA chairman. “The authorities itself pushing the flag carrier to destruction as nobody is serious to run the affairs of PIA even today,” he added.
It is to be noted that PML-N leaders Marvi Memon and Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, in August 2012 had moved a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking direction to investigate into the affairs of the PIA in depth to identify corruption, mismanagement, inefficiencies and lack of competent staff.
During the hearing, Deputy Attorney General Attique Shah informed the bench that the federal government in light of the SC order just to maintain transparency had hired a HR firm for the appointment of PIA chairman that selected three candidates, but of them two were foreign nationals.
The court said, “When the parliamentarians can be disqualified for having dual nationality then how the PIA chairman can be a foreign national as so many security issues attached with the post.” The chief justice said they had passed judgment on the matter and the PM Advisor on Civil Aviation had to quit his post due to dual nationality.
The chief justice said it was being reported in the media that the federal government had planned to privatise PIA under the deal with IMF. He inquired whether the government with the approval of Council of Common Interest could privatise it.
The CJP said: “Deliberate attempts are being made to run down the PIA so that it could be sold to a single bidder at throw away price.” He said the government should know that the PIA is the national asset, which belongs to people of Pakistan, and not the government.
The court was informed that presently the PIA net asset value in negative 200 percent. Justice Jawwad S Khawaja remarked that if today PIA’s asset value was minus 200% then next year it would be minus 300%.
On the request of deputy attorney general, the court adjourned the case for 10 days.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk