KARACHI: Flight operations of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) came to a halt across the country after the death of at least three protesting employees on Tuesday.
The incident occurred when a peaceful protest by the employees of the PIA outside the Cargo Terminal of the Jinnah International Airport against the proposed privatisation of the national flag carrier turned into a bloody conflict. The clash also left seven people, including a newsman, injured as a law enforcement agency’s personnel open fired to stop the protesters from entering the terminal. According to an eyewitnesses account, following a protest call by the PIA Joint Action Committee (JAC), hundreds of PIA workers halted flight operations.
The protesting workers gathered outside the main cargo terminal, however police and Rangers stopped them from entering the airport. Later, the police and paramilitary force’s personnel resorted to baton-charge to disperse the protesters. However, the situation turned violent when the protesters tried to break the barriers and entered the airport. The forces allegedly resorted to firing, which claimed three lives and injured seven others.
The law enforcement agencies used water cannons, batons and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters. The situation emerged a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced to enforce the Essential Services Maintenance Act 1952 for six months apparently to block the impending strike of the PIA workers. Meanwhile, PIA Chairman Nasser Jaffer announced on Tuesday evening that he has resigned from his post following the death of PIA employees during a clash with security personnel in Karachi. He expressed grief over the deaths and lamented the events which led to their deaths. “My conscience doesn’t allows me to work for the organisation anymore,” he said.
PIA employees’ 4-point agenda
1 Government should immediately take back the bill passed on January 21 converting the national flag carrier into a public limited company
2 PIA’s employees be provided a chance to reform the airline. If the employees fail to do so, the government will have the freedom to do whatever it finds suitable.
3 Privatisation, whether it is in the form of finding a strategic partner or selling organisation’s shares, is not acceptable to employees
4 Government should immediately review aviation policy and form a committee for this purpose comprising members from PIA employees’ JAC along with PIA experts Khursheed Anwar, Kamran Hasan and Salahuddin