PIA's undisciplined corporate culture

As aviation industry developed, the concept of the traditional stick-jockey pilot also changed. Regulatory bodies the world over have been more active to keep a check on those who do not observe the mandatory abstinence period between bottle and throttle. The rules today are more restrictive than they ever were. Those guilty have been charged of attempted homicide and stripped not only of their licences, but also given long prison sentences. P
The rapid revolutionary advances in aviation, tends to create a sense of complacency, because of automation, and therefore the need for more alert and matured educated pilots become a necessity rather than an option. It is sad that those nominated by federal government, themselves lack the maturity to handle the sensitive task assigned to them. Such macho male chauvinist and egoistic individuals have no role in modern aviation. It is a field that demands strict disciplinary code of ethics.
PIA's corporate culture needs reformation at the top executive level. There should be a strict monitoring of those who wield positions of authority and have powers to exercise their discretion. Rules must be followed by all without any let. Financial and administrative discipline must be restored so that those who pay, get their money's worth and also are assured the highest level of aviation safety. The former chairman, a novice in aviation, ended up choosing the wrong team initially. Those nominated to assist him in administering Pakistan's largest multinational corporation, had a history of administrative irregularities. He then shed them only to choose advisors, who themselves were novices in aviation.
It is unfortunate that our corporate culture chooses to prefer persons who lack professional competence, moral ethics, and prefer personal loyalty to the CEO, rather than the corporation. Individuals who dare to speak their mind out and give honest professional advice, that may differ with that of the CEO, are shunned. The head of a corporation sets the pace, moral code of ethics, by requiring his executives to abide by law and rules that are in force. Corporate reforms in auditing, strict adherence to rules that forbid conflict of interest and transparency of all deals, are the bare minimum to enforce corporate reforms that PIA desperately needs.
Those individuals involved in financial irregularities in controversial leasing deals, purchase of TGS equipment, negotiation of bad handling agency deals (NFS Saudi Arabia) that robbed the airline of millions , must be proceeded against, otherwise it will be a mere facade.
It is a tragedy that PIA's own executives are party to incorporating heavy penalty clauses that become an impediment for those who would desire to undo such bad deals, as was done in leasing of A-310s.
The new chairman must be given the leverage to cleanse the executive corridors of all the evil that has eroded the financial viabilty of Pakistan's national flag carrier.