ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to continue its probe against the appointment of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) CEO Musharraf Rasool Cyan. “The Supreme Court is not suspending Mr Cyan in a quo warranto petition filed against him as we do not want to set any wrong example,” the chief justice said, at the hearing of a suo motu case pertaining to a PIA air safari. Justice Nisar had taken suo motu notice of difficulties faced by passengers at Skardu Airport following a special PIA ‘air safari’ that caused a four-hour delay of a Skardu-Islamabad flight earlier this month. The chief justice also issued a notice to the national carrier for charging high fare on flights to northern areas. “Laws were not followed in the appointment of Mr Cyan as the PIA CEO,” Justice Nisar remarked, adding: “The PIA CEO has repeatedly misinformed the court.” The chief justice further observed, “I was informed earlier that the PIA CEO draws a salary of Rs1.4 million but later found out that he was paid Rs2 million.” “The court was misinformed about the PIA CEO’s salary,” he asserted. “We are taking the PIA’s case very seriously and are waiting for the airline’s audit report of the last ten years,” Justice Nisar remarked. He noted that the court will be able to pinpoint corruption in the state-owned airline after receiving audit reports. Regarding airfare of flights to northern areas, Justice Nisar said, “Tickets to northern areas are priced at Rs32,000. The residents of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) want PIA to reduce the fare.” Justice Nisar also questioned why the PIA had sought the services of Naeem Bokhari to fight their case. “Why is the PIA paying such a large sum for their counsel’s fee?” he asked. As the chief justice asked Mr Bokhari whether he had taken up the case for free, the counsel said, “I am taking the fee to donate it to the dam fund.” Directing a comment at him, the top judge remarked, “Bokhari sb, if you are PIA’s counsel, how will the next cabinet probe the CEO’s appointment?” Published in Daily Times, August 1st 2018.