LAHORE - A retired pilot of the PIA on Sunday appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of non-payment of his pension despite his 39-year service with the national carrier.

Amir Akhtar Hashmi, a retired pilot, filed a complaint with the Human Rights Cell of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, stating that he gave his life to the national carrier as a pilot, but he was not given reward for that service.

He said that he served the PIA selflessly and got many appreciation letters not only from the PIA management but also from the prime minister for saving billions of rupees as president of the Pilots Association and by convincing the fellow pilots not to take part in illegal strikes.

He said that he also served as head of anti-corruption and cost cutting committee, which backfired due to corrupt unions as well as the government during his service.  Hashmi said that he also gave briefing to Farrukh Saleem about the down fall of the national airline and that how it could be saved.  The complainant said he asked the management for pre-mature retirement from the airline due to various reasons but he was refused and for this purpose, he said, he filed a petition 761/08 in the Sindh High Court which is still pending. Later, he said, he retired from the service at the age of 60 on Dec 22, 2017---the last day he operated as flight captain.  He said the PIA authorities were not paying him his pension, nor provident fund and other benefits and forcing him to withdraw the case pending before the court. He said a similar appeal 585/2018 had also been pending in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He asked the top judge to direct the PIA authorities to release his pension.