The new management of PIA can be credited with restoring some sort of semblance of administrative discipline in workforce which was recruited during period 2001 onward, either on political recommendations or even worse when jobs were sold to highest bidder between 2008-2013 period. However, new management headed by serving uniformed officers must understand that unlike military aviation, commercial aviation transport industry is highly regulated and subject to strict oversight by every country whose airspace it flies over or lands. As it is Quarterly and Annual financial reports have not been published for past two years.
Reports published in a section of media reveal that a contract worth Rs.700 Million for indigenous upgradation of Inflight Entertainment System which is not serviceable on B777 fleet has been awarded to unknown firm which was registered only four months back in Golra Islamabad. This firm has no experience of installing or upgrading IFE and does not possess certification by EASA.
It takes several years to design, plan and produce an IFE System acceptable by international regulatory agencies associated with commercial aviation. It is an internationally accepted practice in aviation industry that even ICAO approved airline’s technicians cannot change even a screw on system installed on an aircraft unless it is approved, what to talk of upgradation of B777 IFE. The intriguing thing is that Tender was given in 2015 but no work was carried out and funds allocated diverted.
PAF works on command and control structure and is not slave to international regulatory controls. The PAF engineers have achieved marvels in developing J-17 in collaboration with China, but this freedom is not there in commercial aviation, unless our national airline is confined to operate within Pakistani airspace.
GULL ZAMAN
Peshawar
