LAHORE - Some activists of PPP-backed PIA union, Peoples' Unity, on Monday allegedly thrashed and tortured a female member of rival union in Karachi PIA briefing room. The victim Saadia Sumbal Butt was thrashed when she refused to 'obey the orders' of Peoples' Unity to join it for a protest campaign launched against PIA Managing Director Ijaz Haroon. According to the sources, a group of Peoples Unity including Kanwal Babar, Shazia Syed and some male members asked Sadia Butt, senior leader of PML-N union Air League, to wear a black arm band. When she refused, the assailants thrashed her publicly and subjected her to severe torture causing multiple injuries. Some members of the Air League also gathered at the spot and rescued her from the clutches of the rival groups. They called security personnel who shifted Sadia to the medical centre in an official ambulance. Later on, other staff members condemned the incident and announced that they would not join the protest campaign of Peoples' Unity. They were of the view that MD PIA Ijaz Haroon had taken initiatives in the larger interest of the organisation, staff and the administration. Most of the union workers and senior staff are quite happy and would support the MD for his efforts to bring positive changes, they added. They have demanded to the high ups to take notice about activities of the office bearers of PPP-backed union leaders who are openly threatening the staff and torturing them in the presence of security staff.