The negotiation between joint Action Committee of government and representatives of PALPA remained inconclusive on Wednesday when latter sought more time for consultation. The Joint Action Committee comprising Syed Khurshid Ahi Shah and Ahmed Mukhtar met with the representative of PIA employees union here to pursue them to end strike and go back to work.
Meanwhile, PIA employees' strike continued for the second consecutive day, which crippled the air traffic operation round the country and forced the airline to cancel several flights. The PIA employees went on strike against the proposed code-sharing agreement with Turkish Airlines under which the authority would have to relinquish most of its routes to Europe and the United States.
The protesting PIA employees have blocked the air operation at all airports, demanding scrapping the agreement of code-sharing with Turkish airlines and sacking of PIA Managing Director Captain Aijaz Haroon. The PIA management and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had deployed huge contingents of Airport Security Force (ASF), Pakistan Rangers and Police to bar the PIA employees' entry into the airport. Both the main gates of the Islamabad International airport were sealed and guarded by law enforcement agencies' personnel.
PIA employees and other trade union organisation activists held protest demonstration at Airport road. The Road remained blocked for whole day causing traffic jam and barring people from reaching their duties, schools and homes. Thousands of passengers who reached the airport to catch their flights were left stranded inquiring about their departure.
At least 30 flights both domestic and international were cancelled since the strike began, including flights to Britain, the Middle East, Europe and some Asian countries, said a PIA official while talking to this scribe. He said that the PIA management has sacked five pilots and around 70 employees of the airline were sent on forced leave.
When asked about the proposed code-share with Turkish Airlines, which needs approval from the government, the PIA officials said that it would mean PIA relinquishing lucrative routes to Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and US destinations, including New York and Chicago. PIA operates around 150 domestic and international flights daily and the strike by pilots and other employees caused a big blow to the Airline.