Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is investigating the corrupt and malpractices of just a few Rs 100 these days instead of focusing on other issues of the national flag carrier of the country.
A high-level investigation was conducted recently in the PIA to probe the disappearance of four pets of soft drink cans worth Rs 1,200 each, according to the documents available. As per details, an investigation committee headed by PIA’s Station Manager Tariq Majeed just carried out an investigation and exonerated PIA’s Food Services Deputy General Manager Hassan Mehmood Qureshi who was earlier accused of financial corruption as another official of PIA had accused him of consuming the four crates of soft drink cans.
As per the documents, Senior Field Services Officer Lahore Syeda Arshad Bibi levelled serious allegations on management of food services regarding the consumption of those four crates of soft drinks in which the investigation committee exonerated the DGM of Food Services but this incident raised alarm bells within the PIA that in such petty issues the management of PIA has been indulged these days. A senior official of PIA on condition of anonymity, said while talking exclusively to Daily Times that this incident is a matter of great concern for the management at a time when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is already investigating the alleged illegal appointments and financial embezzlement of millions of rupees in the national flag carrier but the officials remain more concerned in this matter. It is pertinent to mention that NAB is already investigating the alleged 26 million irregularities in PIA Islamabad catering service. The bureau has sought the record of catering service regarding the procurement of food items worth Rs 11 million from PIA Islamabad food manager while also seeking the details of procurement of food worth Rs 15 million from the store purchase officer, the documents said.
The documents regarding the incident of disappearance of four crates of soft drinks show that DGM Food Services Hassan Qureshi did not consume them as they are still in the premises of PIA. Qureshi was of the opinion that the Security DGM in connivance with the FSO made this case against him as DGM Security Asad Bukhari pressurised the daily wages workers to give statements against him.
“After investigation, it revealed that she failed to provide concrete or solid evidence in support of her corruption allegations,” the investigation report revealed.
It seems that the officials of security in PIA have been indulged in such issues at the cost of their original duty as a ‘suspicious person’ reportedly climbed the closed gate near Old Rangers Checkpoint while sneaking into the catering van in courtyard outside the loading bay just few months ago and PIA security couldn’t find him as officials of Airport Security Force recovered him and took him for investigation.
When contacted, PIA Spokesman Mashhud Tajwar confirmed that such investigation was carried out but no one was terminated in result of the said inquiry.
Published in Daily Times, December 1st 2018.
