PALPA suspends strike for two days

By
AFP
|
PALPA suspends strike for two days
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Airlines Pilots' Association (PALPA) on Wednesday announced a conditional end to a protest strike that has caused cancellation of countless flights and millions of rupees in losses to national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

The decision was taken during a session of the Senate Standing Committee in Islamabad today.

Speaking to media PALPA president Amir Hashmi said: “We have decided that our go by the book call has been deferred for two days to eliminate the problems faced by passengers”.

During the session, the committee chairman Talha Mahmood ruled that all stakeholders including officials of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) meet in two days' time to resolve the crisis.

The chairman also ordered that a report on resolution of the dispute be presented in the committee in its next session on Friday.
Meanwhile, PIA Chairman Nasir Jaffar thanked committee chairman Talha Mahmood for mediating between the two parites.

Over 80 flights scheduled by the Pakistani flag carrier were cancelled and over 5,000 passengers affected since Thursday when the pilots refused to work following a dispute over conditions.

The row started after the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority suspended the licences of two pilots for one and two years respectively for "unlawfully operating flight without permission".

PIA claimed that the pilots' association was blackmailing the management to agree to unjust promotions and unjustified benefits for executives.

PALPA, on the other hand, denied that they were exercising a "go slow" or observing a strike, but they were not taking on extra work and this is why the flights were cancelled.

PALPA vice president Sadiq Rehman claimed that the PIA management was asking "one man to do the job of two, and get the salary of one and a half men."

All parties, including the CAA, PIA and PALPA officials will meet again on Friday now to further discuss their demands and resolve the dispute.

The state-owned PIA has a fleet of 41 aircraft which include Boeing 777, Airbus A320 and ATR, and 436 active pilots.