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Former Aviation adviser Mehtab Abbas, however, objects to the audit, stating that a professional auditor would be able to do a better job as auditor general was not capable of doing an airline
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The apex court rejects a petition seeking permission to use Markhor logo on PIA planes
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday directed the auditor general to submit the audit report of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) within 10 weeks.
A two-member bench, headed by the chief justice, issued the orders while hearing the case pertaining to the sale of assets belonging to the national airline.
The top court notices that the losses of PIA have reached Rs360 billion and the government cannot continue to run the national airline on an annual Rs13 billion subsidy. “A comprehensive audit should be done of the airline,” the CJP ordered.
Former Aviation adviser Mehtab Abbas, however, objected to the audit, stating that a professional auditor would be able to do a better job as auditor general was not capable of doing an airline.
The top court also ordered the name of Shujat Azeem, another former advisor on Aviation, to be removed from Exit Control List (ECL) and said that he must appear before the auditor general if summoned, warning that his property will be confiscated in case of failure to comply.
SC REJECTED PLEA SEEKING USE OF MARKOR LOGO ON PIA PLANES:
The apex court also rejected a petition seeking permission to use Markhor logo on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar reiterated that no picture or logo of Markhor will be printed on the planes.
On May 13, CJP Mian Saqib Nisar prohibited the PIA from replacing the Pakistan flag on the tails of its aircraft with the image of Pakistan’s national animal—Markhor.
Hearing the suo motu case regarding the national airline’s performance, Justice Nisar ordered the PIA to suspend all activities regarding the upgrading of the national carriers until the submission of a report on the said matter.
“We have found out that you are planning to replace our national flag [on the tails of PIA aircraft] with the picture of an animal,” the chief justice said to PIA’s Managing Director (MD) Musharraf Rasool Cyan.
“Which animal are you planning to place on the tails of the planes?” he inquired,
Upon which, he was apprised that it would be an image of the national animal, Markhor.
The PIA MD was then directed to present the details of the award of contract for using the desired image on the planes.
PIA LOSSES AT RS335 BILLION:
On Friday, a report submitted in the Supreme Court revealed that PIA has liabilities worth Rs406 billion with assets at approximately Rs111 billion.
The report submitted by the PIA over a suo motu case, explained that the airlines’ losses stood at Rs356 billion.
The report adds that the PIA is only capable of operating with government assistance, is suffering from losses on most of its routes and is overstaffed.
The airline is incapable of turning around its performance owing to low competency at senior levels, poor HR practices and political appointments in the organisation.
The report urges the court to allow the national airlines to recruit well trained and professional employees to improve performance
