No headway could be made in talks between Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik and Joint Action Committee of PIA employees held here for resolving the ongoing stand-off between workers and the airlines' management. The PIA Employees Joint Action Committee refused to end strike until their demands are met.
Interior Minister held talks with Joint Action Committee here on Thursday in which Secretary Defence, Lieutenant General Athar Ali (Retd) was also present. Talking to media after his talks with PIA employees, Rehman Malik urged the PIA employees to end the strike and return to job, as the government has called back Rangers and Police from all airports.
"We have called back Rangers and Police from airports and the PIA employees are at liberty now. No one can force the employees to continue strike," Malik said, adding that the permission has been granted for protest in specific area of Airport.
Malik said that he would forward the demands of PIA employees to Prime Minister for consideration. "We have received their demands which will be resolved by Prime Minister within two to three days," he added. He said that the current strike has caused over Rs 40 billion loss to the national flag carrier.
Malik said that the PIA Employees Joint Action Committee has provided some documentary evidences of corruption in the airline and government would take appropriate action against the people found guilty. Suhail Baloch, President PALPA and head of the Action Committee said that the government had assured them to fulfil their demands, adding that the strike would not be called off until practical steps are taken.
"The protesting employees will continue their strike peacefully while negotiation with interior minister will also continue tomorrow," he added. Meanwhile, the strike entered into third day and PIA spokesman said that over 130 flights of the national airline had been affected by the strike. A number of domestic and international flights were suspended due to the strike on the third consecutive day.
The employees are demanding withdrawal of the proposed agreement of the PIA with Turkish Airline and dismissal of Managing Director PIA. Other trade unions including Pakistan Railways Employees Union, All Pakistan Oil Tankers Association, Transporters Union, WAPDA Employees Federation have joined the PIA employees' protest and blocked the Airport Road.
The spokesman of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Mubarak Hussain Shah said that the strike by PIA employees had crippled the PIA operations at the Islamabad International Airport and passengers were facing many difficulties.
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