SHC stops PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik from working
A petition filed against Malik's appointment stated he was neither educationally qualified nor had the relevant experience to be the national flag carrier's CEO
December 31, 2019
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday stopped the Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) Chief Executive from performing his functions as the airline's head.
A petition by Safdar Anjum, the general secretary of the airline's Senior Staff Association (SASA), challenging Air Marshal Arshad Malik's appointment as the CEO was filed earlier at the high court. It said Malik neither fulfilled the post's educational requirements nor had any relevant experience.
During the case proceedings, the two-member bench directed the PIA CEO be stopped from performing his functions and told the airline from transferring, hiring or firing employees.
The high court also halted the PIA from buying or selling any assets. The bench said the national flag bearer could not sell assets worth over Rs10 million or make policies for the time-being.
The SHC had issued a notice to the deputy general to appear before the court on January 22 in relation to the case.
A graduate of the National Defence University (NDU) and qualified in Air Command and Staff Course from the US, Malik had served as the vice chief of the air staff prior to joining the PIA.
He also served more than 40 years in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) before being appointed the airline's chairperson on October 11, 2018, by the federal government, and, later, on April 2, 2019, as its CEO.
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