The administration of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has sealed the office of the airline’s Senior Staff Association (SSA) in response to protests. PIA’s employee associations are protesting against the controversial decisions of privatization and bifurcation.
The SSA, a focal point of the protests, was ordered to be sealed under the directives of Shoaib Ahmad Dahri, PIA’s General Manager of Welfare IR & Sports, as revealed in reports on Monday.
SSA Secretary General Safdar Anjum characterized the administration’s move as illegal and an attempt to disrupt a peaceful environment. Anjum affirmed the commitment to persist with the protests until their demands are met.
The dissent has manifested in various forms, including a recent two-hour token strike during which Pakistan International Airlines’ ticket booking offices were closed. This protest was spearheaded by Rana Kashif, the PIA CBA Lahore Secretary General, who called for the temporary closure of booking offices across the country.
The Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) had approved the privatization of PIA, a decision that sparked protests. The issue remains contentious, with employees’ demands for addressing their charter and raising salaries at the forefront of their concerns.
