'Over Rs1.2m paid to PIA chief as reward': Outstanding performance

[hasan saleem]

ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chairman Tariq Kirmani was paid over Rs1.2 million by the airline as a reward for his outstanding performance during the period he was not associated with the national flag carrier.

In a written reply to a question by Senator Liaquat Bangulzai, Federal Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal stated: "Tariq Kirmani was given four basic salaries by PIA for his outstanding performance during 2003-04."

The chairman is getting a basic pay of Rs322,000 per month. The amount paid in reward thus sums up to Rs1,288,000. Mr Kirmani took over as the PIA chairman on April 19, 2005.

The Board of Management of the airline determines the reward which is based on performance and varies between 0-4 basic salaries per annum.

Interestingly, in reply to another question, the Senate was informed by the defence minister that the airline suffered a loss (after tax) of Rs1,023 million during July and September 2005. During the same period in 2004 prior to the change in management, PIA had suffered a loss of Rs386 million.

PIA Spokesman Captain Hassan Jafferi, when contacted for comments, said he was not sure about the situation and could not clarify it as the chairman was on a foreign trip.

Mr Kirmani, according to the defence minister"s reply to another question, had so far made 10 overseas visits and had spent about 42 days on these visits during his eight and half months in office. He had visited Dubai, Beijing, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Rome, Milan, Washington, Bahrain, Doha, Nairobi and Copenhagen.

There is no mention of how much these trips cost the financially ailing carrier, though Senator Prof Ghafoor Ahmed had specifically inquired about the amount spent on foreign trips.

The minister stated that the chairman was paid $4,150 as TA/DA during these visits.

Meanwhile, the statistics placed before Senate about PIA operations during November revealed that out of a total of 4,000 flights operated, 61 flights were cancelled and 514 delayed. Punctuality was 85.6 per cent, while regularity was 98.5 per cent.


DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2005

[Adnan Anwar]

What about the Senators and Ministers, DO THEY SPEND ANYTIME IN SENATE AND PARLIAMENT at all that can be considered productive.

Our Senators are the ones who are elected because they lost during parliament elections and then are chosen by party friends for the Senate seats. So in otherswords the losers become the SENATORS.

[behramjee]

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chairman Tariq Kirmani was paid over Rs1.2 million by the airline as a reward for his outstanding performance during the period he was not associated with the national flag carrier.

why would any organization that too a loss making one like PIA pay one of its employee a huge bonus for the period he wasnt working for the airline and for PSO instead. There is no business logic that justifies this latest move on PIAs part.

[Moin]

Oh for heavens sake, who #@#$ing gives a $#it. Busybodies are at work again.

[hasan saleem]

"Kirmani was given Rs1.2m reward by PSO"

ISLAMABAD, Jan 3: A spokesman for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has said a reward of Rs1.2 million was given to PIA Chairman and Chief Executive Tariq Kirmani by the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and not PIA.

The spokesman stated this with reference to a news item "Over 1.2 million paid to PIA chief as reward" published on December 31 which was based on a written reply made by Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal in the Senate on December 30.

In a clarification issued on Tuesday, the PIA spokesman said: "We wish to clarify that the award given to the PIA chairman and the CEO Tariq Kirmani was given to him by the board of management of the PSO when he was heading the organization, and not by PIA." Further, the spokesman said, it may be pointed out that the PIA chairman and the CEO was serving with PIA on the same terms and conditions to which he was entitled in the PSO.

"Visits to foreign cities, where PIA network operates, by Mr Kirmani as head of the airline is a part of his job, which is typical of the CEO of any airline. Mr Kirmani"s visits to Milan, Rome and Frankfurt were as part of the prime minister"s entourage when the latter went to these cities, the spokesman added.

It also needs to be clarified that there has already been extensive and repeated coverage, in both the print and electronic media, besides at the federal government level, that the losses suffered by PIA in 2005 were only due to one factor and that was exorbitant and uncontrollable price of fuel which went up as high as $70 a barrel in the autumn of 2005.

While PIA"s 2004 operating results (without the extraordinary adjustment) indicated a loss of Rs54 million, the comparative figure for the year 2005 shows a profit of Rs3.6 bullion, using 2004 constant fuel prices. with the increase in global oil prices, PIA"s fuel bill has gone up from Rs17.9 billion to Rs26.5 billion in 2005, which has neutralized the gains. PR

DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2006