KARACHI: The recently sacked chief operating officer of Pakistan International Airlines, Zia Qader Qureshi, on Monday termed the termination of his employment contract “illegal and without due process” and demanded that his official emails and phone be restored.

In a letter to PIA’s Human Resources chief Asma Bajwa, who had issued the termination letter, Mr Qureshi says that, “you (Ms Bajwa) and PIA Chief Executive Officer Musharraf Rasool Cyan have acted with gross negligence and mala fide intention in terminating my employment contract”.

He said that his access to official email and computer system had been cut so that he could not collect evidence to prove falsehood of allegations levelled against him.

He said that owing to lack of access to emails and computer network he could also not provide any information to the National Accountability Bureau and to the auditors scrutinising various issues, including the appointment of CEO Cyan, under the instructions of the Supreme Court.

The PIA had terminated the contract of Mr Qureshi on Aug 17, saying that he had failed to meet the objectives for which he had been hired and that he also could not attend the meetings held to review his performance.

Mr Qureshi, who was hired on the contract basis when he was just three months short of reaching the age of superannuation, maintains that he was sick so he could not attend the meetings, and that his performance had been “outstanding”.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2018

Opinion

Editorial

Rushed legislation
Updated 06 Nov, 2024

Rushed legislation

For all its stress on "supremacy of parliament", the ruling coalition has wasted no opportunity to reiterate where its allegiances truly lie.
Jail reform policy
06 Nov, 2024

Jail reform policy

THE state is making a fresh attempt to improve conditions in Pakistan’s penitentiaries by developing a national...
BISP overhaul
06 Nov, 2024

BISP overhaul

IT has emerged that the spouses of over 28,500 Sindh government employees have been illicitly benefiting from BISP....
Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....