Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has on Tuesday rejected the plea seeking restoration of Air Marshal Arshad Malik as Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, called into question the appointments of four air vice marshals, two air commodores, three wing commanders and one flight lieutenant in the national airline.

During the course of proceedings, the petitioner said the appointed PIA CEO had no relevant experience.  Justice Umar Ata Bandial said Arshad Malik had been appointed on short term basis. He asked the PIA CEO to draft long-term and short-term projects and the national flag carrier structure should be upgraded.

While quoting a private airline company, Chief Justice said the management is knocking down the conditions of the national flag carrier.

Court rejects CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik’s plea to continue work.

Earlier The Sindh High Court (SHC)  stopped the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik from performing his functions as the airline’s chief executive officer.

“The court will review the appointment process of PIA CEO”, the top judge continued.

Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said he has gone through a news regarding contract award worth rupees 70mn to a company formed just five months earlier. “Don’t know the news is right or wrong.”

However the court granted permission to the PIA board to run its administrative matters and adjourned the further hearing into the plea for two weeks.

After hearing both sides, the top court turned down the appeal of Arshad Malik and maintained the decision of the Sindh High Court in which he was barred from performing his duties as CEO of National Carrier.