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The Supreme Court on Sunday temporarily barred the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from replacing the Pakistan flag on the tails of its airplanes with an image of the Markhor — the country's national animal.
While hearing a suo motu case regarding the airline's performance, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar ordered PIA to halt the revamping of its aircraft until a report on the matter is submitted in the court.
"We have found out that you are planning to replace our national flag [on the tails of PIA aircraft] with the picture of an animal," the chief justice said to the managing director of PIA, who was present in the court.
"Which animal are you planning to place on the tails of the planes?" the CJP asked, and was told that a picture of a Markhor, PIA's new mascot and Pakistan's national animal, will be placed on the national flag-carrier's tail.
The PIA MD was ordered by the chief justice to present a report regarding the award of contract for pasting stickers of the Markhor on the planes.
"Do you know the cost required for [placing the new mascot on the tail of] each plane?" Justice Nisar asked the MD, questioning if the national flag-carrier is so profitable that it can splash out funds on the stickers.
"Rs2.7 million are required to place the sticker on the tail of each plane," the official replied.
Unconvinced, the CJP responded that the rebranding of each plane will actually cost Rs3.4m.
Jusitce Nisar also took the PIA MD to task about the delay in his flight from Karachi to Islamabad on Saturday.
"Do you know what time I reached Islamabad yesterday? Why was my flight two-and-a-half hours late?" the CJP asked. He was told that the flight was delayed due to a technical difficulty.
"I will also take a look at your performance," the CJP warned the PIA MD.
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On DawnNews
Comments (95) Closed
May 13, 2018 02:40pm
Now it is getting too much, too painful to see all this drama
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May 13, 2018 02:44pm
only two and half hours late. Today morning flight of 10 am Karachi to Islamabad delayed for 6 hours which is now planned for 04 pm. What was so surprising in delay of 2.5 hours flight. It is PIA, CJ of Pakistan should know this.
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May 13, 2018 02:45pm
Now this is called crossing the line. There’s no law violated here. Rebranding does help many business.
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May 13, 2018 02:45pm
CJP: Please tell PIA director to spend this money in the maintenance of aircrafts in order to provide clean and safe travelling to the passengers.
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May 13, 2018 02:48pm
2.7 million ??? I am shocked...
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May 13, 2018 02:50pm
This is too much every enterprise irrespective of being private or public has every Right to Improve!
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May 13, 2018 02:51pm
@Raj Kumar you mean someone actually taking a notice in absence of government is a bad thing?
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May 13, 2018 02:53pm
@Raj Kumar is this drama. supreme court is the highest court of the country. It is doing it for the benefit of pakistan. Our honourable chief is justice is working day and night to give us justice. It is his lordship that he is even not taking rest on holidays. He is hearing cases on sunday. while the Parliament and executive they are just busy in making money. each state department is in loss. why? because they do not do there duty and when they do it is insincere. So, supreme court is rightly intervening. someone has to check the transgressions committed by corrupt executive,
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May 13, 2018 02:55pm
@Raj Kumar “Now it is getting too much, too painful to see all this drama”
Don’t watch then. Some corrective action was needed by some state pillar. SC is simply doing what other departments fail to do.
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May 13, 2018 02:58pm
We may have a few more serious problems going on than this!
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May 13, 2018 03:05pm
Thanks CJP. You are the ray of hope for Pakistani people. And the nation fully supports you and stands with you. Its much more important to first eliminate thee deep-rooted corruption, nepotism, unprofessionalism, mismanagement and violation of merit within PIA in order to make it a profitable airline than spending millions on pasting stickers on the tail of the PIA Airplanes and removing Pakistan's flag.
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May 13, 2018 03:05pm
Excellent. Already bleeding airline to incur exorbitant amount on just cosmetic change with no benefits. Again a case of likely corruption. The core issues of improving service are ignored and cosmetic changes being made.
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May 13, 2018 03:06pm
Very sad indeed!
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May 13, 2018 03:06pm
Great & respect for CJP Mr. Mian Saqib Nisar
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May 13, 2018 03:06pm
Excellent decision CJ. National flag on the tail looks great just like the Union Jack looks on the tail of British Airways. Markhor will look good on Markhor Airlines not on a flag carrier. With PIA in dire straits it does not need to splash money on such inanities but spend it on making aircraft technically perfect for no delays to occur.
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May 13, 2018 03:08pm
@Raj Kumar What you mean by this is too painful to watch? But what our Internal matters have to do with Indians anyway? just wondering
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May 13, 2018 03:11pm
Good move, this airlines makes huge losses every year which are than paid by the the tax payers. Why should it spend tax payer money on designs when is should be concerned with making the airline profitable. Do you really think you can make an airline more profitable by simply rebranding?
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May 13, 2018 03:12pm
@Khurram they re branding but not paying the salaries of its employees plus PIA is goung in loss.. Both cases are in Supreme Court .. So thats why CJP is wondering how is that possible.. Plus their performance is disaster
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May 13, 2018 03:13pm
Markhor Image suit with one Pakistan Institution only PIA previous piant was one of the best pleasures don’t replace it
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May 13, 2018 03:18pm
PIA always has a ready excuse for delay of every flight.. In the past 40 years, they have not improved their performance or quality of service one bit, much less be competitive in fares with rest of the airlines serving within or from Pakistan.
It is always,either a 'technical fault, difficulty' or 'staff issues', 'weather' or some other insane excuse. Somehow the same conditions don't apply to other airlines which are able to take off and land to and from Paksitan, without any problems??
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May 13, 2018 03:22pm
Excellent job CJP. Keep it up we are with you.
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May 13, 2018 03:26pm
Why is that the incapable managements and politicians are not sacked without notice, this is beyond me. Country's sovereignty comes first before these incapable so called NO GOOD leaders. I think general public needs to understand they're there to serve the general public and if they're not performing then they should be flicked out.
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May 13, 2018 03:27pm
Let us see where all this lead us in to? Till end of May, during the interim period of 60 days and more interestingly for the new government. I sincerely hope TI forms new government and Imran Khan is the new prime minister.
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May 13, 2018 03:31pm
This is crossing a line. A business should not be run by the court. Even Air India re-branded while it was making losses, and is now in the middle of a turnaround. If a business decision was made to re-brand, it is the business decision leaders who should be allowed to do it, as it is their responsibility. Businesses do not need to be paterialistically saved from themselves.
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May 13, 2018 03:32pm
@Khurram you must be crazy, look at the losses PIA is incurring. First stop that bleeding. No one is against rebranding, but at appropriate time.
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May 13, 2018 03:33pm
@Khurram Good, efficient and punctual service counts in business, branding comes later.
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May 13, 2018 03:37pm
@Aslam Qadri . Depends upon the priority,agreed everyone has a right to improve, but how will re-branding improve the service. .
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May 13, 2018 03:37pm
@Khurram Rebranding will not have any impact , take a look at the premier service and how it ended up putting billions in drain . Core issues needs to be addressed rather then a face change
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May 13, 2018 03:50pm
We need to have the flag displayed everywhere possible. It hurts me to see the flag replaced by anything, no matter what. it seems that we may have lost the Pride of being a Pakistani but the fact doesn't change.
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May 13, 2018 03:51pm
If you read the article the case was being heard for the performance or lack of in this case of PIA. Naturally topic of irrelevant expensis would be raised. Fix the issues before taking punitive measures
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May 13, 2018 04:12pm
So if each PIA flight results in a loss of Rs.3 million or more - without amortizing the fixed one-time cost of these stickers - than there is no justification for this ludicrous expense. Someone in PIA management has to learn the art of cost-benefit analysis and how to control costs.
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May 13, 2018 04:14pm
Everyone is doing other people job, it’s MD responsibility to hold useless expanding not CJ. Same time CJ should look irregularity in justice system.
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May 13, 2018 04:14pm
These are governance issues.
But when the govt is not governing the way it ought to, it gives space to others to intervene.
Are these others overstepping their limits? May be. But what is the alternative? Unfortunately, democracy in Pakistan is not strong enough so that people can take the government to task over its failures.
Perhaps, the best way forward is to let the democracy evolve in Pakistan. But people would then suffer for the next 70 years while democracy is strengthening its roots.
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May 13, 2018 04:21pm
Now this is ridiculous.
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May 13, 2018 04:30pm
Now is too much...SC should not do like this ...this utter disastrous to funtionality of State organs. .
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May 13, 2018 04:30pm
@Khalid : many of the PIA employees are political inductees and do not work/ perform. They do not deserve salaries anyways. The airline cannot be salvaged until recruitment is on merit.
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May 13, 2018 04:39pm
There’s no law broken, it should be left with people who knows how to run business. Institutional encroachment doesn’t help improve anything.
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May 13, 2018 04:40pm
In my humble opinion a fancy livery cannot change the facts and face of the national carrier. Firm and harsh steps will need to be taken to make PIA into a well oiled corpororate machine. Political hurdles and sympathies will need to be kept aside to make this a profitable venture. New equipment for ground handling, spares, new hangars and better facilitated airports if you PIA wants more people to fly with them. Only then, when PIA has lived up to its name is a new fancy livery justified for an image branding.
PIA needs a meaningful lustre not a bragful bling!
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May 13, 2018 04:41pm
@Raj Kumar its going exactly well and as it shpuld be. You just keep calm and watch it!
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May 13, 2018 04:42pm
@Khurram this is not crossing the limits, probably PIA does not know whats its limits, the flag carrier is broke, and crumbling under debt. rather then focusing on restructuring to shed extra fat, its spending money on new clothing/stickers 3.4m for each plane
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May 13, 2018 04:44pm
PIA put up Pak flag on the tail for the first time in early 2000. Earlier it always had green tail with PIA in bold. Before the current livery, the tails had Provincial livery which was most beautiful. It's not that this is the first time Pak flag is not on the tail. During the days when PIA was doing good, it did not have Pak flag any where on the livery. For the record PIA might not be good in its service but always had the best of liveries. It has always been a treet to look at a PIA plane. The latest 'markhor' livery was in line with this wonderful tradition of PIA.
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May 13, 2018 04:44pm
@ for those who oppose this - you can have your aircrafts tires changed with that budget, or maybe change the rotten seat covers?
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May 13, 2018 04:52pm
Yet another home-run by the wonderful Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Keep it up and hang on tough.
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May 13, 2018 04:56pm
@Khurram I don't know whether you are fully aware of the financials of PIA.
In the present state of affairs at PIA, the decision of the CJP is absolutely in line.
Pakistan's exchequer has been handled ruthlessly by the appointies of these political parties.
Let him send the tough message. All these people are least bothered about the carrier's real uplift.
We need higher revenues at lower costs.
Thanks.
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May 13, 2018 05:11pm
Honorable chief justice of Pakistan you are doing excellent work. keep it up! whole nation is behind you.
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May 13, 2018 05:12pm
CJP is crossing all the boundaries just to show that he is the savior of Pakistan. Rebranding is common for companies and it also helps. Just look at Airtel which is the largest telecom company in India. I'm an Indian and want to tell pakistani people that this judicial overreach will be the last nail in the coffin for Pakistan.
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May 13, 2018 05:19pm
A UK based airline BMI, with a slightly larger fleet size than PIA, has the total number of employees at around 4000. A couple of years ago, PIA staff stood at around 27,000, including 800+ pilots for 35 odd planes. Yes, BMI is more of a budget airline, does someone still need to know why PIA is the white elephant in the room? Would replacing the tail sign on PIA planes with Markhor improve its performance in any way, shape or form? CJP can be criticised for such directives, but I would not be surprised if one rupee from every time you upload money into your SIM, does not go to fund this for the next year or so. But if Pakistani common man or woman is happy, who is the CJP to intervene on their behalf.
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May 13, 2018 06:00pm
According to a news, this monogram of markhor is also in use of a top intelligence agency of Pakistan!!!
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May 13, 2018 06:10pm
@Khurram only rebranding doesnt help anyone my friend, performance does.
No traveler cares about what color of the tail, but rather the safety, timeliness, comfort, service and attitude (i.e. experience of flying).
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May 13, 2018 06:21pm
PIA post are all filled by Political nominees , how can it go into profit zone.
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May 13, 2018 06:21pm
I decided to never fly with PIA again and I never looked back. 7 hour delays on international flights is unexceptable.
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May 13, 2018 06:48pm
As a former PIA employee and having seen its good and efficient days, I very well remember its deserving slogan: "Great People To Fly With"
It makes more sense to first eliminate as much as possible, corruption, nepotism and professionalism.
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May 13, 2018 06:57pm
Unbelievable that PIA was going to spend this much money on rebranding the aircrafts when it's on the verge of bankruptcy! Well done CJ.
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May 13, 2018 06:58pm
PIA runs in same mentality as of the Sharif's. They keep rebranding things and getting people excited. They change uniforms of police, airline crew but service remains terrible.
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May 13, 2018 07:09pm
I have heard of activist judges, but this is ridiculous. The company is desperately trying to survive, and rebranding is a good option. I sincerely believe the CJP is over-stretching his authority.
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May 13, 2018 07:11pm
What about the pending cases before the courts. especially lower courts?
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May 13, 2018 07:14pm
We agree that corruption should be looked into by the court, but this is certainly a little childish. Does the honorable court not know that rebranding is essentially one of the core things that PIA needs for people to start believing in it again? And arguing over 0.7 million PKR? Why?
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May 13, 2018 07:28pm
This appears to be a bit too much!
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May 13, 2018 07:28pm
Everytime something good happens, our neighbours dont like it. Very obvious.
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May 13, 2018 07:48pm
@Falcon1 The flight delays are caused by politicians and ministers abusing their power as being superior to other Pakistanis. Courts must address that than interfere in how corporations run their business. Even the court judges and magistrates are to blame for flight delays. Then of course maintenance is another major factor of flight delays.
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May 13, 2018 07:50pm
CJ crossing the limits now.
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May 13, 2018 08:03pm
For all those who question the judiciary’s involvement: failure to govern by the incumbent party has precipitated this. As simple as that.
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May 13, 2018 08:15pm
PIA lost my baggage last ramazan from Karachi to London.Now almost one year nobody contacted me for this after so many complaints.CJP should look ombudsman services as well.
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May 13, 2018 08:22pm
Re-branding is not wrong. But the question is why people in PIA are feeling that keeping the "flag" is bad idea? or removing the "flag" will be a good idea?
Isn't it better to spend money on improving the services?
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May 13, 2018 08:25pm
@Anjali that is why air india is getting privatised
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May 13, 2018 08:26pm
@Karachi! not 2.7 million instead 3.4 millions too much shocking...
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May 13, 2018 08:34pm
@Khurram when the cash strapped airline spends 2.7 million per plane for rebranding.. Other than improving service quality or making the organization profitable.. Is the pia helping someone or a burden on tax payer money
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May 13, 2018 08:41pm
@Sami please see my comments. Thanks
May 14,
According to a news, this monogram of markhor is also in use of a top intelligence agency of Pakistan!!!
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May 13, 2018 08:51pm
Judiciary should not interfere in marketing campaigns. They should investigate and decide cases about corruption and fake degrees of pilots. I am afraid the real matter will remain pending and focus will be on such issues as under discussion.
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May 13, 2018 09:02pm
@AMA . So much expensive. A flag painting is suffice.Small savings make large deposits.
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May 13, 2018 09:10pm
@Khurram : a bankrupt PIA running into billions of loss yearly getting a face lift with stickers costing 34 lacs per plane total fleet cost of about Rs 12 crores and hoping for better earning while the incompetent and corrupt go on looting the airline is stupendous! Did the last face lift of fancy tails bring in any improvements?
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May 13, 2018 09:11pm
PIA should be asked to improve performance s&efficiency , behaviour&theft of Passengers baggage’. Animals insignia suits African Continent more bcoz abundance of fauna there.?
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May 13, 2018 09:11pm
Wow! that was pure splurge and lot of kickbacks seemed to be in the plan. Thank you CJ for taking the matter in the hand.
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May 13, 2018 09:17pm
@Khurram "Rebranding does help many businesses" This is not correct. Rebranding is a slippery slope and there is a lot more to successful rebrand. Merely tweaking a logo and hoping the company will start bringing profits is a shot in the dark only.
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May 13, 2018 09:36pm
Batter to spend money on service and food. People want quality service not just make up of aircraft which no body to see it.
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May 13, 2018 09:59pm
I believe PIA currently have a little over thirty aircrafts in its fleet. Calculating the cost as per the CJ's estimate would have cost over hundred million.
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May 13, 2018 10:56pm
A New Mughal Prince is Born
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May 13, 2018 11:10pm
Instead of replacing our flag with an animal on the tail, PIA should replace from the MD down to every management personal making these idiotic decisions if they want to change the image of Pakistan. Over Rs 3 million per plan to put a sticker on a plane? Seriously? It costs absolutely nothing to replace the individual making these decisions.
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May 14, 2018 12:03am
Crossing limits true
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May 14, 2018 12:56am
@Khurram Your right !! But first set the priorities right and focus on the core.i.e operate timely and effeciently then go for the re-branding. What happend to the so called PIA premier service to london? SC is crossing the line becuz the istitutions are not performing their duties..Some one always steps in.
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May 14, 2018 01:39am
Rebranding without improving service is useless.
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May 14, 2018 02:33am
There is more to this story than rebranding!
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May 14, 2018 04:07am
Maybe every person posted on high ranks and key positions should be tested and trained on basic marketing, Micro and Macro Economics, and Finance courses. In fact, these courses should be made mandatory for every student in University and College. These basic courses are as much important as Mathematics.
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May 14, 2018 07:52am
Rebranding is need of the time to regain profitability.
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May 14, 2018 08:24am
Rebranding has got nothing to do with budget -- it actually helps boosting sales, but better if performances can be focused and upgraded. For instance flights on time and the right attitude of flight/ground staff..
CJP got only 21/2 hours late how about me trying to fly to Pakistan got delayed for hours on several occasions. Let him feel publics pain.
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May 14, 2018 08:28am
SC of Pakistan is most useless they have the useless cases and now one serious case like giving sentences to a criminal.
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May 14, 2018 08:33am
Before you know it, this government will allow to replace the star and the moon on our flag with the picture of an animal too. What a disgrace, how can you possibly even consider replacing the flag.
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May 14, 2018 10:19am
@Khurram but what about performance ?
Doesn't that help more ?
PIA is such an institution that goes into loss but its employees never share that loss while they contribute to that.
Just by changing the color, shape or drawing can not bring excellent performance which has no substitute.
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May 14, 2018 12:09pm
Brilliant! PIA is in loss and debt and they want to rebrand it for 3.4m per plane. Good step by CJ!
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May 14, 2018 12:10pm
Honestly speaking Markhor logo looks too good
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May 14, 2018 12:13pm
@SkyHawk CJP has no backbone to stand against military action. This issue is far less important . Re-branding plane is purely commercial decision which should be left to those in charge. SC cannot usurp power of other branches. The manner in which he has taken up grudge against MD clearly showcase his personal frustration rather than based on constitutional requirements. This has to stop.
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May 14, 2018 01:03pm
I support this decision of CJP which is based on love, adoration, affection, endearment for the country. Why should national flag be replaced with such a high cost? In business world, re-branding and other changes may prove to be good sometimes provided the performance, functions, operations, efficiencies are professionally and technically smooth. But if they are getting unprofessional and lethargic, how will re-branding improve it? Good decision, CJP.
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May 14, 2018 06:50pm
@Sab He knows, that's why he is fixing it for the people.
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May 14, 2018 06:50pm
Only a clean honest head can stop the corruption.
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May 15, 2018 10:22pm
@Kunal, Supreme court was asked to intervene in this matter by a group of PIA well wishers, he is now digging deeper to see whats been happening, livery is just one aspect of it.
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