Airports across Pakistan saw renewed demonstrations as members of the Peoples Unity of PIA Employees Union staged a large protest at Islamabad Airport, part of coordinated actions in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Faisalabad and Quetta. Employees from the Islamabad Airport section joined in significant numbers, chanting slogans against the proposed change in ownership.
Ramadan Laghari and General Secretary Suhail Mukhtar addressed the gathering, making it clear that the union rejects the current government’s proposal for PIA privatization. They described any attempt to transfer control through what they called illegal or bad-faith measures as unacceptable and vowed to oppose moves that, in their view, undermine a national institution.
The union leaders pointed to the disparity between the airline’s declared assets and the sale price being discussed, noting assets estimated at Rs 1,200 billion while the offer on the table stands at about Rs 270 billion. They called that gap an act of bad faith and warned it amounts to a national betrayal that cannot be ignored. To prevent what they termed plunder in the name of privatization, the union announced intensified efforts to stop the process.
Demanding formal assurances for employees’ job security, the union reiterated that peaceful protests will continue at airports across the country until commitments are secured and PIA privatization is halted. They also warned that, if necessary, operational measures including suspending services could be considered to protect workers’ rights and the future of the airline.
