REFERENCE / COMPLAINT NO. IV

Reference dated 16-1-2001 – PIA Passengers Off Loaded - Riyadh

To: The Chairman
National Accountability Bureau
Islamabad

Pakistan Peoples Party

through

Jahangir Bader
Secretary General
Pakistan Peoples Party ----Complainant

Vs.

1. Managing Director
Pakistan International Airlines
Karachi ----Accused No. 1

2. General Manager
Pakistan International Airlines
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ---Accused No. 2

Complaint u/s 18(b) (11) of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance 1999.

Pakistan International Airlines is a State owned carrier controlled and administered by the Federal Government of Pakistan. Accused No 1 and 2 are holder of public offices in the terms of section 5 (m) (iv) of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance 1999.

Pakistan International Airlines was profit earning corporation till the time when General Zia inducted/appointed his favourities in PIA, thereafter there had been decline in the earnings and services rendered to the passengers. Ultimately the corporation has become loss giving establishment.

The citizens traveling abroad previously preferred the National Carrier but now by conduct and services of the employees and officials of the PIA Corporation, are constrained to change their choice which has resulted into a great loss to the National carrier and National exchequer.

In the last week of December seventeen Pakistani passengers who were traveling from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan had confirmed seats who were offloaded at Riyadh Airport, Saudi Arabia by the officials of PIA whereas the favourities of PIA officials were accommodated for one reason or other and thus have committed an offence of corruption and corrupt practices as defined in section 9 (1) of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance of 1999. (The Nation Editorial dated December 31, 2000 - Copy enclosed)

The accused No. 1 being the Managing Director and accused No. 2 being General Manager of PIA Corporation Riyadh are liable for corruption and corrupt practices for dis-favour to Seventeen Pakistani Passengers with confirmed seats by off loading them at Riyadh Airport and favouring Seventeen other passengers for boarding the aircraft and traveling to Pakistan.

Conclusion
Accused No. 1 & 2 have committed an offence of corruption and corrupt practices as defined in Section 9 (1) of NAB Ordinance 1999 and are liable for punishment under Section 10 of the Ordinance.

It is therefore requested that on receipt of this complaint the warrants of Arrest against the accused be issued and the Reference may kindly be sent to Accountability Court against the accused for adjudication and punishment to the Accused No. 1 and 2 according to law.

COMPLAINANT

Pakistan Peoples Party

Through
Secretary General
Jehangir Bader

Islamabad Dated : 16 January 2001

The Reference / Complaint is based on the source incorporated as under :

PIA’s latest

The Nation – dated December 31, 2000

The report that the PIA management at the Riyadh Airport in Saudi Arabia, offloaded 17 Pakistani passengers who held confirmed seats on its flight from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan and instead gave those seats to others because of their connections with the management and other influential quarters, would come as a shock to many. PIA, being a state-owned corporation has always been vulnerable to influences of all sorts, including political influence of the ruling party and of its own labour union. The politicians connected with the ruling party not only managed to get special concessions and priority over the ordinary traveling lot but also made the airline lucrative window of opportunity for the patronage of their relatives and hangers-on, with the result that its manpower per seat became the highest among the airlines and its performance among the lowest. From a profit making corporation it soon became a losing concern. Passenger-care which could have attracted more foreigners to it, because of its large fleet and many useful destinations, came to be neglected. The result is that the only patronage it has retained is of Pakistanis. But even they, who have stuck it for patriotic reasons, have started abandoning it for much smaller airlines, which offer much more attractive packages. Does the PIA think that the 17 passengers it off-loaded would be keen to travel by it again?

Now that the government in power is not a political one. It was being hoped that management of the PIA would be put in the hands of those who could change its culture. They would make it into a highly professional passenger-friendly service-oriented airline, so that only is it able to stand on its feet financially, but also give a tough competition to other airlines. This incident shows that the airlines needs a major shakeup. For starters, an enquiry into this indent is immediately called for, the off-loaded passengers need to be compensated for the inconvenience caused to them and those found guilty need to be punished.