PIA unholy blessings
August 24, 2015

LAHORE – Key postings of national flag carrier in other countries are being distributed among the blue-eyed officers in violation of merit, sources in PIA said.
They pointed out that immediately after PML-N took over, Rashidullah, working as Manager Passports and Visa Facilitation, was given backdated promotion and posted as Country Manager America though he had no experience or qualification in marketing or sales department.

“His only qualification being that he was younger brother of PML-N Senator Mushaidullah Khan, formerly Pakistan International Airline trade union leader,” the sources added.

As if this was not enough, they said, yet another younger brother of Mushahidullah, Sajidullah, was also given backdated promotion and posted as Station Manger London. He had previously been posted as SM Washington during previous tenure of Nawaz Sharif.

Another crony of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Ishtiaq Lone who had faced grievous charges of irregularities, was posted as SM Manchester. Lone has only six month service left before retirement.

This practice went unchecked despite the fact that PIA rules forbid posting a person with less than three years remaining from his retirement. Rauf also associated with Sharif family, was posted as Manager Birmingham. He was ‘obliged’ because his mother had served the Sharif family as Islamic teacher for their children.

Dr Moqaddam posted as Station Manager Kuala Lumpur has been transferred and posted at Toronto. Similarly, Manzoor Junior who was serving as Station Manager Lahore was posted at Dubai.

In a bid to cut expenditures, PIA Board of Directors had decided two years ago that only one Finance Manager would be posted in UK based at London, who would look after all stations. But three Finance Managers have been posted in London, Manchester and Birmingham.

Sources further said that with accumulated losses running over Rs240 billion and liabilities exceeding total assets, foreign postings in PIA were being made at behest of travel agents backed by mighty politicians.

Besides, a very powerful lobby involved in organised money laundering was also involved in such postings, they said.