SC declares Musharraf Rasool's appointment as PIA CEO illegal
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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Monday declared the appointment of Musharraf Rasool Cyan as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) null and void.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar maintained that the appointment violated existing rules and regulations.
The order was issued on a suo motu notice taken by the CJP on a protest of passengers at the Skardu Airport over a four-hour delay in PIA's Skardu-Islamabad flight, which, they alleged that the airline management had sacrificed their rights to favour Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials to enjoy an ‘air safari’.
"Cyan does not meet the requirements to be appointed CEO and thus his appointment is illegal," the apex court ruled.
During the course of proceedings, Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked, “As per the initial report, PIA CEO Cyan’s appointment was not according to law and we are looking into it.”
PIA's counsel Naeem Bokhari pleaded that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had already announced a decision in the case and sent it to the cabinet.
To this Justice Ahsan observed that the PIA CEO was appointed in violation of guidelines by the then prime minister’s adviser on aviation Sardar Mahtab Abbasi.
"Was Cyan interviewed by a board?" he questioned. "He had no aviation experience prior to his appointment," Justice Ahsan observed.
The CJP remarked that the PIA, which was running in losses, should have a CEO who was extremely qualified and experienced. "Cyan had worked with Sardar Mahtab Abbasi," he observed.
APP
