I read a news item dated October 10 (by Arshad Sharif) on internet, regarding PIA's cargo scandal. It is a sad tale of an organisation headed by a man, who managed to get the finances, but failed to put up a team of honest professionals.
PIA has been a victim of a nexus of travel and cargo agencies, patronised by its senior executives, who have robbed it of revenues. From B. Travel to Cargo Aids, it is the same old tale.
Corruption has its own momentum. No individual person can keep a tag or a hold over those involved in fleecing this airline, as long as there is a level of tolerance, which unfortunately exists in PIA, for those involved in it.
There is a need to clamp down, without any exception, on those involved in financial and administrative irregularities.
Pakistan's corporate culture needs to be revamped and cleansed of the rot that prevails in its corridors of power.
Europe and America have already embarked on this process.
Enron, Worldcom, Parmalet and now Citigroup management's are under scrutiny. The CitiGroup CEO Chuck Prince went public on the irregularities that afflict his organisation.
This was published by Financial Times in its issue dated 1st October. Fare hikes by PIA are not the solution, but will be counter-productive.
The Chairman PIA needs to take a bold decision based on principles.
Honest professionals alone can deliver. Those, who have skeletons to hide resort to show of personal loyalties to CEOs in order to save their skins.