(Karachi) As part of reforms and accountability process, the management of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has sacked 29 employees, media reported on Friday. The total number of sacked employees of PIA has reached 206.

According to data issued by PIA's Human Resource department, the employees were terminated from service in the month of September. The national flag carrier had initiated action against 54 employees and carried out an in-depth investigation. During the process, 29 of them were found guilty of indulging in illegal practices and sacked while 25 were given different punishments.

As per details, seven PIA employees were fired for possessing fake degrees, eight for remaining absent from duty without notice while two were terminated for damaging property owned by the national flag carrier.

Similarly, six employees were sacked over corruption, two for their involvement in smuggling narcotics and one for revealing important information illegally to others. In addition, two employees were sacked for stealing government record while five were terminated for not following the SOPs.

A PIA spokesperson said that nine employees of PIA were demoted for not following instructions while 10 were cleared after inquiry.

He added that 13 PIA officials were awarded certificates over best performance while seven were given cash prizes. He maintained that 41 employees were sacked in June, 62 in July and 74 in August.

Earlier, the PIA sacked 63 employees, including five captains with "dubious" licenses, in the process of reform and accountability.

Last month, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said that 28 pilots of Pakistan International Airlines possessing "dubious" licenses have been dismissed from service. On June 26, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan transpired the number of pilots who possess "dubious licenses" is around 262 which include 141 of the national flag carrier.