ISLAMABAD: Senate’s Special Committee on the Performance of PIA on Monday expressed displeasure over absence of the PIA chairman and chief executive officer (CEO). The committee observed that the officials should be able to prioritise things according to their importance, adding that the parliamentary committees should be given priority over other meetings. The meeting was called to discuss serious issues pertaining to the national carrier’s performance and operations, including revenue target of 21%, impacts of the premier service, defaults in payments to the Civil Aviation Authority and PSO and renovation/upgrading of fleet of PIA. The meeting was led by Senator Mushahidullah Khan. Seeing the non-seriousness of the PIA administration, the members agreed on formation of a sub-committee to oversee the administrative and operational issues of PIA. The sub-committee will be headed by Senator Muzafar Hussain Shah and will have Senators Farhatullah Babar and Abdul Qayyum as members. PIA directors briefed the committee that PIA has outstanding payments to PSO and CAA for many years which occasionally lead to delays in flights. The committee directed PIA to finalise an agreement with both as to how these defaults will be paid and in what time frame and also to prepare a revival plan for the company whose loss amounted to Rs 14 billion last year. The committee also asked PIA to focus on the company’s core business which is to fly people across the country and to other countries. A third party evaluation based on value-chain analysis was suggested by the committee to enhance the operations quality and generate revenue. The PIA representatives told the committee that although the company is facing losses but there is now a trend of increased percentage (37%) of passengers. PIA has also increased capacity of aircraft by 17% and the number of aircraft is now 38. The committee also asked PIA to see if the 19,000 people working for an airline having 38 aircrafts is a viable option. The committee sought a detailed report along with all documents containing approvals and correspondence of the tender process of the obsolete 310 aircraft. The committee sought details as to who approved sending the aircraft to Malta for exhibition and permitting its use in a film shoot which might have political and religious implications. The committee was also briefed about the steps being taken to improve the crew, trainings, workshops, upgrading of the seats and other facilities in the aircraft and the terms of the wet lease with Sri Lanka. The committee expressed concerns regarding people working at senior positions in PIA having no administrative and human resource management experience. The meeting was attended others by Senators Nauman Wazir, Farhatullah Babar, Muzafar Hussain, Kamil Agha, Usman Kakar, Saeed Ghani, the CAA secretary, the Privatisation Commission secretary and PIA directors.