Senior PIA Officials jailed for Defying Court Orders

Three senior Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) officials have been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court by the NIRC.

The sentence follows years of defiance against judicial orders.

The ruling, issued on April 17, 2025, also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 (£135) on each official.

An additional one-month jail term will be imposed if the amount is not paid.

The officials include Deputy CEO Khurram Mushtaq, Chief Human Resources Officer Athar Hussain, and PIA’s Balochistan General Manager Sadiq Muhammad Lodhi.

They were found guilty of ignoring a court-mandated directive to regularise janitorial staff who had served the airline for years on a contract.

In its verdict, the commission also barred the trio from future employment or representation in any public or government-affiliated institution.

The case was triggered by a petition filed by 17 PIA employees from Balochistan.

These workers had demanded permanent employment status.

This was done under Section 25 of the Balochistan Industrial Relations Act, 2010.

Despite serving the airline for periods ranging from two to 20 years, they remained ineligible for regularisation.

Though their initial plea was dismissed by a labour court, the Balochistan Labour Appellate Tribunal ruled in their favour.

On March 24, 2012, PIA was ordered to regularise them.

PIA challenged the decision in the Balochistan High Court and later in the Supreme Court, but both appeals were dismissed.

Even after these clear verdicts, the airline delayed implementation, prompting contempt proceedings.

The NIRC found that more than seven years had passed without any meaningful compliance.

Although a few employees were eventually regularised, the process was partial, delayed, and did not include back pay or other financial benefits.

The verdict read:

“This contempt action is not motivated by personal vendetta but is essential to uphold public trust and the dignity of the judiciary.”

The court further ordered an immediate halt to all salaries and financial benefits being drawn by the convicted officials.

The commission directed police stations, the Inspector Generals of Balochistan and Islamabad, and prison authorities to arrest and detain the officials.

A notice was also issued to the Ministry of Defence to facilitate the execution of the ruling.

In response, PIA has stated its intention to challenge the decision, citing complications arising from the airline’s ongoing privatisation.

Meanwhile, the government is expected to invite expressions of interest for the sale of PIA as early as next week.