PIA to be made profit-generating organization through reforms: Sarwar

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Wednesday said reforms would be introduced in the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) to make it a profit-generating organization.

Responding to a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) in the Senate merged with an adjournment motion regarding the tragic incident of PIA plane crash in Karachi, the minister said the national airline had the liability of Rs 482 billion with incurring monthly loss of Rs 4 billion when the incumbent government took charge of office.

A total of 546 employees, including pilots, mechanics and ground handlers were dismissed from the service due to fake degrees, he added.

He said the incumbent chief executive officer was a competent officer, who working hard to reform the PIA's affairs to turn it into a profit earning organization.

About the investigation into the PIA plane crash, he said a fair inquiry report in that regard would be presented before the two houses of the Parliament during the ongoing budget session. The inquiry reports of previous air crashes would be also made public.

Sarwar said he had complete trust in the investigation board comprising competent officers. A formal request had been also made to the International Federation of Airline Pilots Associations (IFALPA) for inclusion of one pilot and one technical expert in the investigation team.

The minister said the voice and data recorder boxes had been decoded, reiterating that the inquiry would be transparent.

He said the government had compensated 82 families of the PK 8303 crash victims. The bodies of 95 victims had been identified and handed over to their families.

The minister said the Civil Aviation Authority and the PIA were surveying the houses damaged due to the plane crash for compensating their owners. A child had died on ground and two persons were injured, who had also been compensated.

He appreciated the people of Karachi, who helped the rescuers in saving the lives of people and retrieving the bodies of dead from the debris.