LAHORE - The Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (PALPA) has demanded withdrawal of show cause notices issued under most controversial, Removal from Services (Special Power) Ordinance 2000 of the military regime. An official message to the management from PALPA demanded that the inquiries against the flying crew are done under routine aviation enquiry procedures PPM Chapter - XV which deals with the inquiries of the technical nature involving the aircraft and cockpit crew. PALPA President Captain Imran Usman said that the managements plans are finally exposed as it has announced the decision even when the inquiries have not been completed. This shows that instead of working for improvement in financial condition and viability of the airline, the management is spending all its energies to fulfil personal vendetta against the pilots of the airline and avenge the ego of few, he alleged. He said that on the one hand, in the morning the management invites the pilots to discuss the working agreement etc while in the evening it issues malafide statements blaming the flying community for airlines current downfall and worst ever financial crisis. The PALPA president said that the inconvenience caused to the passengers in April 2009 was due to inefficient planning of the flight crew by the Planning and Scheduling department of the airline. He emphasized that if the PALPA withdraws favours and concessions granted to the management as a consequence of these vindictive proceedings, the airline would face yet another episode of flight delays due to inability of the management to plan and design a roster according to its own rules and regulations. The PALPA president said that the PIA management threatened a senior pilot to be sacked (despite being cleared in enquires held locally and internationally) from service under RSO 2000 and was forced to resign. Capt Ahsan Rehman was a Captain of Boeing 777, which met severe weather and hailstorm in Milan, Italy, damaging right wing and the nose of the aircraft, managed to land successfully at Milan Airport with no injuries to the passengers. Senior and highly experienced pilots in PIA Captain Murad Arbab, First Officer Salahuddin Jamal, First Officer Farrukh Waseem, First Officer Muhammad Suhail and First Officer Adnan Siddiqi are being penalized for following the flight rules & procedures against the managements desire and the draconian removal from service ordinance is being applied to get rid of them. Captain Murad had refused to take another flight from London to Karachi when he landed at Manchester Airport. The next flight (London - Karachi) was falling in his official rest period and was therefore a potential safety risk as his Flight Duty Time would have also exceeded the ANO prescribed limits of CAA. He said that if PALPA withdraws the concessions/ waivers the flight scheduling department of the airline will come under immense pressure as already the flying human resource of the airline is being utilized at optimum levels being short of pilots as per international standards. The PIA has approximately 500 pilots (including contract pilots) whereas as per its schedule, it needs minimum 650 pilots to swiftly operate its flights around the world. He said that we are being pushed to resort to GO BY BOOK so that management can put all the blame of airlines mal management on the pilots hiding its own inefficiencies. Capt Imran said that PIA management has itself admitted that it is due to Pilots extra cooperation that it manages to save around 600m rupees in a week which it did not when the Pilots withdrew favours and concessions in April 2009. On the other hand spokesman of the airline said that the PIA Management is determined for disciplinary and punitive action against such pilots who violated discipline and remained absent from duty during the 'Go-Slow causing unnecessary inconvenience to the passengers and considerable financial losses to the airline. PIA Cockpit Crew members under enquiry were also given ample time to clarify their position. Now, disciplinary action has been initiated against Captain Murad Arbab, First Officers Salahuddin, M Sohail and Farrukh Wasim for refusal to operate flights on false, implausible reasons and unauthorized absence from duty during the April09 'Go Slow by PALPA. While, First Officer Adnan Andalib Siddiqui is being investigated for obtaining a family card issued in favor of his step-father and availing free and concessions on air tickets on International and Domestic routes and also availing Medical facilities of more than Rs. 2.2m whereas only real dependant parents are entitled for air tickets and medical facilities and in no case step parents. Another, First Officer Zahid, Joint Secretary PALPA, is being investigated and has been served show cause notice for falsely claiming hotel stay and allowances without entitlement.