ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday declared the appointment of Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) chief executive officer illegal and suspended his role within the national carrier.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar headed the three-member bench which issued the order on Musharraf Rasool Cyan’s appointment as CEO. The bench further stated that the appointment violated existing rules and regulations and the suspension will be forwarded to the federal cabinet for further review.
In July, CJP Mian Saqib Nisar ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the appointment of Cyan as the CEO of the national flag carrier. “NAB should investigate the PIA CEO’s appointment and the salary and perks offered to him,” ordered the chief justice.
The order came after the chief justice took suo motu notice of the difficulties and protests of passengers at the Skardu airport against a four-hour delay of a PIA Skardu-Islamabad flight, alleging that the airline management had sacrificed customers’ rights to favour Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials with an ‘air safari’.
