The PIA MD has stated on a private TV channel that the national airline is technically bankrupt and this state of affairs started in 2000. He has conveniently forgotten the fact that during 2002, he was appointed briefly as GM Traffic for 6 months and then worked as a Director until his removal in 2003 on the instructions of PM Jamali. He was involved in the controversial B777 purchase deal as a close confidant of the then MD PIAC. It is also a fact that he was found guilty of financial impropriety during an investigation conducted by AVM Mushaf Ali Mir for his alleged involvement in irregular appointments of pilots during Benazir's previous tenure when he served as GM Central Control for 8 months. Despite that background, he has been nominated to serve as MD PIAC at this critical juncture. The airline is in shambles. He has further burdened PIA with over 6000 more employees. As if that was not enough, the MD has recruited another batch of 80 pilots, when almost 66 pilots recruited in 2006 have yet to complete their training and be operational. PIA schedules have been drastically slashed for a variety of reasons and both its fleet and pilots remain under utilized. In a situation when PIA is facing liabilities of over Rs 140 billion, the MD in his wisdom has started negotiations to induct 27 new aircrafts worth over Rs 162 billion. -SHAHZAD KHALIL, Sialkot, via e-mail, August 5.