PIA partially restores flight operations from Islamabad airport

Pakistan - Employees' protest continues across the country.

Four Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights departed from and landed at Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Sunday morning after five days of stalled operations at all major international airports in the country, the daily Dawn reported.
Flights PK 4232 and PK 605 departed for Abu Dhabi and Gilgit from BBIA this morning, while flights PK 4231 and 606 arrived at Islamabad airport from Abu Dhabi and Gilgit and Jeddah-Islamabad flight PK 7330 landed at BBIA around 2:37pm, flight data shows.
Civil Aviation official Imran said it was unclear whether more PIA flights would operate at the airport the rest of the day.
Although the PIA employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) has resolved to continue their protest against the government's plans to privatise the national flag carrier, PIA spokesman Daniyal Gillani said flight operations are "partially on" and is optimistic they will pick up in the coming week.
"Some employees are willing to come to work. They operated the flights (that arrived and departed from BBIA) this morning," he said. JAC members claimed the flights operated were "illegal" as they were not up to international security standards.
The Pakistan Air Lines Pilots Association (Palpa) on Saturday announced its withdrawal from the strike against PIA's privatisation, with the organisation head directing pilots to resume their duties. Palpa added in a a statement that pilots were neither instrumental in halting the flight operations nor could they alone resume it.
Palpa president Amir Hashmi earlier said: "At least 410 out of 430 pilots in Palpa are in favour of resumption of flight operations," but that they should be provided adequate security as "we are receiving threats from the protesters". Palpa urged the government to resolve the issue so that flight operations could resume at the earliest.
PIA employees have also voiced concerns about security, a PIA official speaking on condition of anonymity said: "PIA employees are afraid of going to work. Some security arrangements have been made for them," he said.
 

• Pakistan