The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is said to be weighing various options to tackle the growing agitation against Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Air Marshal (retd) Asim Suleman. Senior officers of different departments of the CAA continued to protest against their top boss for “use of improper and derogatory language” with them.
The PM chaired a meeting on Saturday, where he discussed various options to tackle the situation. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Aviation Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Secretary Aviation Irfan Elahi and senior officials of the CAA and the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) attended the meeting. The CAA DG and his second-in-command, Additional DG Air Vice Marshal Usaidur Rehman Usmani, were not present at the meeting. CAA was represented by the Deputy Director General of Airport Services Syed Amir Mehboob.
Islamabad is rife with rumours that “PM might sack the DG and the additional DG and assign the aviation adviser to directly oversee the aviation matters till the appointment of a regular DG”. The PM may also consider directly appointing CAA DG for one to three years.
On the other hand, an urgent meeting under the chairmanship of the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Aviation Sardar Mahtab Ahmed Khan was held at Aviation Division here in Islamabad on Thursday. Besides, all Directors of CAA, representatives of the Unions and Associations were also among the attendants.
While chairing the meeting, Adviser accentuated on finding an unprejudiced and evenhanded solution on the basis of merit. He said that Civil Aviation Authority is a prestigious organization and its workers are the real asset and their contribution is always acknowledged at every platform. He further added that in order to safeguard the smooth working, all employees are subject to perform their assigned duties without any interruption; any interlude and stoppage of working would not be tolerated in this regard. He further asked the officials to perform their duties in an efficient and responsible manner added that we all should owe this organization as it is our national institution which needs our attention.
He listened to all the concerns shared by participants of the meeting and assured them a positive and better solution in the larger interest of the organization will be made, which would be acceptable for all the stakeholders, he added. All members of Unions, Aviation Associations and officials of the Authority also assured the Advisor their best cooperation in the interest of the organization and country.