Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Airlines'' Pilot Association (PALPA) Thursday agreed to resolve all the outstanding issue through talks in order to avoid any further inconvenience to passengers, and loss to national kitty. Addressing a joint press conference, Sher Ali Khan, the spokesperson for Aviation Division and president Palpa Captain Amir Hashmi, after a meeting with advisor to prime minister on aviation Shujat Azeem announced that the management has assured Palpa of accepting its genuine demands.
"It is a breakthrough that both parties came on the table and developed cordial relation, which would help in resolving all the outstanding issues," said Khan, adding that aviation division has assured early resolution of all the outstanding issues. Hashmi announced that Palpa was withdrawing an obnoxious e-mail sent to the International Federation of Airline Pilots'' Associations (IFALPA). Through a letter, Palpa has expressed its regrets if anybody''s sentiments have been hurt.
Replying to a question about the suspension of licenses of two PIA pilots, he said that aviation division has assured that no injustice would be done to anybody. The government has played a positive role in settling the issue and assured that all of their demands would be accepted, he added. He further said that currently PIA has 400 pilots against the required 600, however PALPA is ready to give concession to the government, but a working agreement needs to be followed. However, he opposed the proposed privatisation of PIA. Replying to another question about a demand to remove director flight operation (DFO), Hashmi said that they have no grudges against anybody including him.