LAHORE - The Sindh High Court on Wednesday stayed PIA's Foreign Posting Board's decision on officials' abroad posting, seeking replies from the management and other stakeholders till 21st.

PIA Senior Staff Association also decided to approach the court today (Thursday) despite that they had already questioned the results of Foreign Posting Board and had demanded new board.

Fawad Binouri, an official of the airline, had moved the court questioning the board's results of posting several officials abroad for allegedly being discriminatory.

He had said that a foreign posting board held a meeting on March 03, 2018 to favour their blue-eyed officials which was violation of the policy. He said the board recommended posting of officials but left him despite that he had been serving in the senior grade.

The petitioner said that majority of the defendants were in lower grade of service or had no necessary qualifications for such posting.  The decision of the board, he said, was violation of a policy already in the field and was tantamount to committing discrimination by depriving the plaintiff of his lawful right.

The plaintiff said that he had been deprived of earning though such foreign posting. He prayed the court to set aside the decision of the board allegedly for being in violation of the policy in the field. At this, the court stayed board's decision and sought replies from the defendants.

Foreign Posting Board conducted meeting last year in September wherein candidates who met corporation eligibility criteria and knew the market dynamics of aviation industry with rich experience were called for interviews with the prescribed ratio of 1 x 3 but could not materialize this selection process on merit due to political and other pressures.

The management held another board in January/February 2018 wherein eligible candidates were not properly entertained who were called in previous board and violated all the Corporation rules and regulations.

More than six candidates were called against one position against the corporation requirement of three candidates against one position. There were total 19 positions and more than 100 officers were called for interview against the requirement of 57.

Sources in the national carrier claimed that 90percent of such people have no experience of field work and have just been working as Desk Workers at the Head Office.

In a letter, SSA Secretary General Safdar Anjum has requested Chief Human Resource Officer to cancel the current board results and organize a fresh board for selection as per rules and merit. He further claimed that if the request was not entertained the SSA had right to seek justice through a lawful forum. PIA management has appointed inexperienced and juniors officers during foreign posting board to achieve its given target. "Usually PIA appoints country managers at foreign stations for a period of 3 years. For this purpose a foreign posting board is conducted as per corporation rules.

But PIA management appointed one Junaid as GM North America in Toronto who was out of country on three years leave. A lady Desk worker who could not handle job of manager Karachi is posted as GM UAE.

Another lady just knowing office management is being sent to Spain whereas most important European station has been given to another desk worker.

The management declared null and void its own decisions and became under pressure to conduct a fresh foreign posting board.

The management conducted interviews for about three times; one at Karachi, second at Islamabad and then at Lahore. As a result selected most junior officers for these important positions. These officers are not only juniors but also lack field experience.

These positions are of different pay groups but Jeddah, Dubai and Paris are very important and senior positions and senior most PG-IX officers are posted against these positions but management has posted junior most officers of PG-VIII. None of the PG-IX officer has been posted against their positions.

Those selected for foreign postings included Mariyam Khan DXBGRPK (Dubai) GM (a PG-VIII junior most officer is posted against PG-IX position but has also been elevated to PG-X position as a General Manager).

Jan Muhammad JEDGRPK (Jeddah)GM (a PG-VIII junior most officer not only being posted against PG-IX position but has also been elevated to PG-X position as a General Manager).

Shafqat Niazi JEDUUPK (Jeddah) - a PG-VII officer being posted against PG-VIII and no position exists in HRB).

Awais Hanif LONURPK (London), (no position exists).

Javeria Jatoi BCNUUPK (Barcelona), a junior most officer with no field experience and knowledge of sales and administration.

Omar Goraya MCTUUPK (Muscat) -a junior officer with no sound professional background.

Khalil Khoso BOMUUPK (Bombay), Saadat Abbasi PARUUPK (Paris) a PG-VII junior most officer being posted against PG-IX position).

Mazhar Abbasi NAJAF - NO field experience and position is of PG VII whereas he is in PG VIII.

Pirzada Siddique KABUL - PG- VII / VI position and incumbent is in PG VIII.

Junaid Shah GM USA, a junior most officer who does not have any field experience. No position of GM exists.

Shahzeb AUHUUPK (Abu Dhabi), a junior most and no field and administration experience.

Amir Ali MXPUUPK (Milan), a junior most and has no field and administration experience.

Ali Jora Copenhagen, a junior most officer.

Shahzad Qazi AUHTOPK (Abu Dhabi), a junior and has no field experience.

Jawad Kazi OSLUUPK (Oslo), a junior most and no field experience.

Babar Zaman BRFUUPK (Bradford).

Saima Aslam BHXUUPK (Birmingham) never headed any position and Qadir Sanghi posted to BKKUUPK (Bangkok).

Out of the above candidates most of them were selected to higher pay groups in Revenue Management Division in 2016 and are not eligible to be posted somewhere else for three years as per Corporation rules.

This is a serious violation of Corporation rules and most of the officers have also not headed any station/section or sub-section to gain administrative and professional experience.

All it was done under the command of Chief HR who was recently posted against high salary of Rs1.8 millions per month.

When contacted, PIA spokesman Mashhud Tajwar said that officers selected were not as junior as hue and crying was being made by some quarters about them.

He was of the view that selection was made on merit after passing the candidates through three to four phases and selection was made purely on merit.

It was a lengthy process which took long time but nobody protested in the national carrier then. The last thing he said that it was not absolute posting and management has given targets to the selectees and those failing to achieve targets would be called back immediately after monitoring of three to six months.