Pakistan International Airlines also known as PIA is a statutory state-owned corporation created through an act of Parliament in 1956 and further amended on 1989. Its executives are required by law to perform their duties in accordance with laws and rules in existence. In the period of 1995 to 2013 over 350 individuals submitted fake documents relating to basic education qualifications, date of birth etc, at time of their initial recruitment, or during course of their service. They continue to be on payrolls of this organisation, which is already burdened with surplus employees and has highest employee to aircraft ratio in the world. 

In a country where elected parliamentarians have been disqualified for submitting similar fake qualifications etc, it is surprising that PIA chooses not to pursue against them effectively. Recently in a rare case, PIA on 28 September 2017, issued a Show Cause Notice to a Flight Purser (P-55780) who was recruited in 1996 on basis of fake Matric and Intermediate degree which he claimed of having cleared in 1983 and 1985 respectively. It is shocking that what takes private firms, multi nationals, banks and other state owned institutions a fortnight or a month at the most, to verify, took PIA almost 21 years to discover in 2016. There seems to be nexus within PIA and few select lawyers based in Karachi who are involved in facilitating this grave irregularity by stay orders. Temporary stay orders can only be given for 15 days and can only be extended by courts of law. There are several judgements by High Courts and Supreme Court that stay orders should not be extended beyond 6 months at the most. 

This abuse has become so common that a Ticket Office Manager posted in New York was recalled for non-performance causing losses to airline, yet she managed to get a stay order from a judge in Karachi, courtesy a lawyer known for his expertise in getting such injunctions, on the plea that her recall would impede her bid to get American nationality. 

ALI MALIK TARIQ,  

Lahore, October 14.