Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP) has expressed concerns over the reports that Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pakistan International Airline (PIA) to stop working on the position.

Speaking at a press conference held at Karachi Press Club (KPC), Chairman TAAP Nadeem Sharif along with Head Agency Programme Joint Council (APJC), Rafique Bukhari - head of Bukhari Travels and others expressed concerns over the reports regarding the SHC directives to CEO PIA for not working as PIA head.

They said that government after a long time placed a highly professional officer Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik to run the affairs of national flag carrier and alleged the staffs, who were under investigation of fake degrees case, were behind such acts to sabotage valid decorum of management.

TAAP was of the view that PIA after over three decades appeared progressive under the management of Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik and in recent past PIA improved its performance significantly.

Moreover, they said that the drop in operational losses by 50% to Rs. 1.5 billion from Rs. 3 billion with an increase in operational fleet from 23 to 29, out of 31 available aircraft were made under his leadership.

In addition, the improvement in the cargo operations to 80% of available capacity, which was previously roaming around 20 percent and for the first time, PIA has solely carried out Hajj operations 2019 without no leased aircraft are the milestones achieved under his management. Besides that PIA has also commenced direct flights from Sialkot to London and from Karachi to Canada and made Sukkur and Quetta stations operative.

Keeping the said in view, the TAAP believed that under his sincere efforts and leadership, PIA will get succeeded in restoring its lost glory.