KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will go under no retrenchment and all the employees are encouraged to work as hard as possible together to revive the past glory of national flag carrier, company’s new chief said on Saturday.
Last week Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry while briefing the media about the decisions of the Federal Cabinet which met under the chair of PM Imran Khan said, “Privatization of PIA has been deferred for a time being as restructuring of these units was important.”
In his first communication to his colleagues, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, the new President & CEO PIA, said he was well aware of the problems, constraints, and challenges being faced by the airline but would do his best to overcome these.
“Though the airline is facing financial and administrative problems but with my strong faith in Almighty Allah and Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s motto i.e., Faith, Unity, and Discipline there is no doubt that PIA will once again attain its past heyday,” a PIA statement quoted Malik as saying.
He said the way forward was though difficult but certainly achievable.
“PIA is the national flag carrier of the entire nation and all its employees will have to put in hard work with utmost sincerity and dedication to bring the airline back on track within the shortest possible time,” the new PIA chief said in his message.
Malik said the PIA would have to improve upon the overall flight regularity, punctuality, whereas with better services the airline could once again become profitable to be able to pay out its liabilities and thrive.
“The present system of the airline will be brought at par with best standards and practices in the aviation industry,” he said.
Malik added that PIA’s human resource was a national asset, but those who were found involved guilty of tarnishing the image of airline or Pakistan, would not be tolerated.
It is the duty and responsibility of everyone in the airline to work for the betterment of the airline and there is no doubt that PIA, by the grace of Allah Almighty, will achieve great success very soon, he said.
On his appointment as the PIA chief, Malik said he was grateful to Allah Almighty for giving him the opportunity to serve the nation in the new arena.
Arshad Malik has served more than forty years with Pakistan Air Force and rose to the rank of Air Marshal. Prior to joining PIA, he was serving as Vice Chief of the Air staff.
