PIA fires engineers body leaders amid ongoing protest, flight disruptions continue

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has dismissed the President and Secretary General of the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP), Abdullah Jadoon and Awais Jadoon, amid a protracted dispute over the engineers’ refusal to issue clearance certificates for aircraft, Dawn reported. 

The decision to fire the two senior SAEP officials follows an ongoing protest over pay hikes, which has resulted in significant flight disruptions and raised concerns about safety and operational integrity.

A PIA spokesperson confirmed the dismissals, explaining that both officials had been accused of unauthorised disclosures. SEAP president faced charges for holding a press conference without approval and sharing sensitive information with the media. Meanwhile, the secretary general was accused of leaking confidential operational details and images related to PIA aircraft. Despite being given opportunities to defend themselves, both officials failed to attend the inquiry, according to PIA’s official notices.

The dismissal comes amid a standoff that has severely impacted PIA’s flight schedule. Hundreds of passengers were stranded on Monday night at three major airports due to the engineers’ refusal to clear aircraft for departure. 

At least six flights were delayed, leading to widespread chaos. Similar disruptions have been reported at major airports across the country over the past two months.

While PIA management has accused the protesting engineers of attempting to derail the national flag carrier’s privatisation efforts, the engineers maintain that their actions are driven by concerns over safety, not a strike. “We are not on strike; we are ensuring that only aircraft fit for flying are cleared,” said SEAP secretary general, emphasising that they could not compromise passenger safety under the current tense circumstances.

PIA has since worked to restore operations, using alternative measures to clear grounded flights and resuming some services by Wednesday. Despite these efforts, the strike continues to highlight the ongoing tension between PIA management and the engineers, with no clear resolution in sight.