SC orders PIA MD not to remove national flag from aircraft's tail

The Supreme Court on Sunday ordered Pakistan International Airline (PIA) managing director not to remove national flag from the tail of PIA planes till further direction. A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Mushir Alam heard suo motu case pertaining to pilots' fake degrees.
Onset of the hearing, the chief justice inquired from the PIA Managing Director why the national flag is removed from the tail of PIA aircrafts? PIA Managing Director Musharraf Rasool Cyan informed that they are replacing the flag with 'Markhor' (screw horn goat).
He informed that Rs 2.7million would be spent on one plane to replace the national flag as logo with the 'Markhor', which is country national animal. The chief justice said not Rs 2.7million, but according to their information this amount is Rs 3.4million.
The MD told that considerable amount is spent after every four-year period to re-paint national carrier. He informed that the job to replace flag with Markhor is being done by the PIA Engineering Department, while the sticker of Markhor will be imported from Ireland, adding one plane has already been painted.
The chief justice asked him to stop removing flag from other planes till further order. The CJP questioned whether the PIA making profits and said the government granted Rs 20 billion bailout package to PIA, but the airline management using it for replacing flag.
The chief justice asked the MD PIA that the court would also examine his performance and asked what qualification he posses for the present job. Justice Saqib directed the CEO to improve PIA services by better providing better facilities instead of replacing the flag with Markhor.
Managing Director Airblue Junaid Khan presented cheques the bench for the payment of compensation to the heirs of passengers killed its plane crash. Airblue aircraft crashed on 28 July 2010 crashed in Islamabad, killing all 146 passengers and six crew on board.
He informed that the compensation amount is for the families of 136 passengers, adding the heirs of 10 passengers are in litigation with the airline. Each passenger family is given Rs 5 million, he further informed. He denied that Prime Minister Khaqan Abbasi is the owner of Airblue. The chief justice said they would also see the matter of mark-up as the compensation is paid after the delay of seven years. He further directed the MD Airblue to file report about the compensation paid to families. The case is adjourned until second week of June.