ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, Tuesday, declared report of Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) on exorbitant increase in airfares by private airlines during strike of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) employees against privatization.
On 9th of the current month, Committee while rejecting the stances of representatives of private airlines and directed Competition Commission of Pakistan to submit report into the illegal increase in airfares of private airlines by 15th of the current month.
In the regard, CCP carried out an exercise to probe into the sharp rise in airfares by private airlines due to disrupted flight operation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) because of a strike by employees the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has sought data from the private airlines.
Two separate letters were sent in the name of Chief Executive Officer Shaheen Airlines Ehsan Khalid Sehbai and Chief Executive Officer Airblue Tariq Chaudhry with the title ‘Exorbitant airfares charged by private airlines’. These letters were signed by Director Cartels & Trade Abuse Department Syed Umair Javed.
However, before the Senate committee, CCP Chairperson Vidya Khalil seemed defending stance of Private airlines on the issue saying that CCP launched an investigation move by inviting the complainants to register their complaints with CCP through media.
“However, no complainant approached the CCP in this regard, therefore, reports about exorbitant increase in airfares was not more than a media hype” she added. She also enjoyed support from treasury members including Senator Aysha Raza Farooq, Nuzhat Sadiq and Mohsin Leghari.
But, lone opposition member Senator Kamil Ali Agha refuted her stance saying that CCP made not clear and honest bid to address the grievances of the masses, who were plundered by private airlines at the time of need.
He further termed her statement equal to hurting integrity of media despite the fact that CCP should have also made bids to record statements the aggrieved people who were forced to pay higher airfares private airlines during PIA’s workers strike.
“These people recorded their statements with private TV channels and are also traceable if a little bit effort is made” he added. Therefore, he moved the suggestion to the committee to defer further deliberations on the report to grant CCP a chance to investigate into the issue minutely. Chairman Committee Salim Mandviwala also endorsed his stance.
