Air Marshal Arshad Malik takes over as PIA CEO, president
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After taking charge as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the national carrier, Air Marshal Arshad Malik has said he is "well aware" of the challenges faced by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), a statement issued on Friday said.
Malik served in the Pakistan Air Force for forty years, during which he rose to the rank of Air Marshal.
Prior to joining PIA, he was serving as the vice chief of air staff. He is a recipient of the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (M), Sitara-e-Imtaiz (M) and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (M).
In an opening message to employees of PIA, Malik said that in order to improve the airline, the main points he would work towards were improving overall flight regularity and punctuality as well as improved services for passengers so that the revenue of the airline can be increased.
He said that the aim was to achieve profitability so that the airline's liabilities can be payed off.
Malik added that PIA's system would be "brought at par with best standards and practices in the aviation industry".
The new PIA chief said that the airline's human resources were a "national asset" and there would be no retrenchment.
However, he added, that those found trying to tarnish the image of the airline or Pakistan would not be tolerated.
"It is the duty and responsibility of everyone in the airline to work for the betterment of the airline and there is no doubt that PIA will God-willing achieve great success very soon."
Although PIA was facing financial and administrative problems, Malik said that with his faith in God and on the basis of the principles of the Quaid-e-Azam, he had no doubt that PIA would once again achieve its past glory.
He said that he was grateful to God for receiving the opportunity to serve Pakistan in a new arena as well as to the Pakistani government for showing "confidence in him for the revival and turn around of PIA".
Malik added that although the way forward is difficult it was "certainly achievable".
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Comments (57) Closed
Oct 27, 2018 04:47pm
All the best. Now PIA will rise like an eagle since the corrupt management has been bid farewell. Professionalism of Pakistan Armed forces is beyond excellence.
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Oct 27, 2018 04:49pm
The way forward is easy, all you need is an honest person who stops corruption,appoints on merit qualified people and ensures everyone does the job they are paid for. Is that too difficult, no.
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Oct 27, 2018 04:51pm
Very good appointment . PIA will fly like PAF. Need to appoint more airforce people so PIA become profitable airline. As it was under Air Marshall Noor Khan and Asghar Khan.
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Oct 27, 2018 04:52pm
Hope for better management and control in the airline and making airline profitable.
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Oct 27, 2018 04:54pm
Good luck sir.Men in uniform are called with a definite faith in them. You have been entrusted with a challenge of your stature. I am sure you will succeed IA
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Oct 27, 2018 04:56pm
Phewww, bad days for PIA are gonna end soon. Best of luck, Mr. Malik.
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Oct 27, 2018 05:19pm
Cheaper internationally air traffic has brought in an exponential remittances income for Pakistan . Recursively more international air traffic especially from the Middle East is Pakistan’s life line .
The disillusionment of making PIA profitable without privitizatiion should end . Converting PIa into a high frequency budget airline to UAE can happen via privatization .
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Oct 27, 2018 05:21pm
I am confident that he will be able to put the ailing airline back on track, inshaAllah
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Oct 27, 2018 05:24pm
Yes, because in this day and age who needs commercial and relevant experience to run an airline, one of the most competitive and complicated businesses on earth. PM khan talks about creating more employment....well how about stopping those retired and on healthy pensions from taking roles that others can do?
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Oct 27, 2018 05:27pm
Good luck and get rid of black sheep and rotten wood from PIA and give chance to new people, based on their ability and merits. No more 'Safarshi' please, as they have taken advantage of free travels and perks associated with their jobs, and put PIA in mess.
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Oct 27, 2018 05:29pm
There is a puff of fresh breeze with the appointment of Air Marshal Arshad Malik. Now, it's time PIA turned around smartly.
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Oct 27, 2018 05:29pm
@Umar can a good airline pilot be chief of air staff ? If not then how a good air force pilot can be good ceo of commercial airline !
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Oct 27, 2018 05:31pm
We have seen Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar and may other PAF stalwarts come and go as PIA CEOs ....to no avail.....privatise the airline....only option..........
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Oct 27, 2018 05:37pm
excellent decision... Wish you good luck Mr. Malik.
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Oct 27, 2018 05:42pm
@Umar changing one person will not have any effect. The whole management needs to be changed and replaced by qualified persons
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Oct 27, 2018 05:43pm
Way forward is certainly not achievable for sure. Good luck though.
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Oct 27, 2018 05:47pm
@Maqsood I am confident that this objective can never be achieved. Let us see. I do have good wishes for the new in charge. PIA has a huge cultural problem. All government organizations of Pakistan share the same problem. 19th century methods can never be efficient in today's competitive economic climate. Like it or not, privatization is the only way forward.
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Oct 27, 2018 05:48pm
Sack the corrupt officials in PIA.
Merit and qualifications should be the consideration not nepotism.
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Oct 27, 2018 05:52pm
Arshid Malik is a man of impeccable integrity and an upright person.Nonetheless,to make PIA profitable again he needs Government and public support.Government can support him by not asking him to appoint new people.Previous Governments burdened PIA with unnecessary appointments.There are far more employees than required.Public can support PIA by using PIA for travel domestically and internationally.Let us hope & pray that one more time we can say" PIA the great people to fly with".
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Oct 27, 2018 05:53pm
@Danish
"Very good appointment . PIA will fly like PAF. Need to appoint more airforce people so PIA become profitable airline. As it was under Air Marshall Noor Khan and Asghar Khan."
You know what, I would go as far as to brand the PIA as PAF as well
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Oct 27, 2018 05:53pm
A right choice. The Air Marshal however will have to reorganize his team as the present team is stained in corruption. Correcting the same team will need much time. At least the top staff should be revamped.
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Oct 27, 2018 06:00pm
This is the best decision for PIA. Now InshaAllah will stand in successful airlines soon.
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Oct 27, 2018 06:00pm
To run an institute that uses Government's budget is entirely a different thing than to run an organization that has to generate a revenue.
Business is best conducted by a businessman. A government servant, in my view, has a very narrow approach and almost zero experience in business. He might be very good in his field. He should be. He must be. His achievements show this thing.
But running a commercial airliner is altogether a different thing with respect to his portfolio. A very naive decision (appointment) in my view.
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Oct 27, 2018 06:11pm
The only way PIA can survive if they can provide customers service, fix the broken fixtures inside the aircraft, AND assurance that it is safe to fly. Too much red tape after arriving Pakistan, we have to reconfirm flights and service is nightmare.
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Oct 27, 2018 06:12pm
Hopefully, Mr, Malik will usher in an era of excellence for PIA, akin to another PAF retired officer of yesteryears, Gen, Noor Khan, Those were the haydays for PIA, with excellent service, expanding network, effeciency, quality and value for money for customers, while being competitive with major international carriers. PIA's legacy was wonderful until political goons entered the company and destory the culture and reputation of the company with bad management, wastefulness, smuggling scandals, rude staff, delayed and cancelled flights and clash of egos between different departments.
It is not too late to save PIA, if politcal forces are kept at bay and the company is organized and operated by professionals, without anyone beholden to one affiliation or other.
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Oct 27, 2018 06:13pm
May he succeed. We love the flag PIA carries. It is part of our identity.
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Oct 27, 2018 06:24pm
Get rid of mafias which intentionally destroyed PIA and Pakistan Railways for their vested interests to boost their competing private businesses / private transport / private air lines. Ex-PM had conflict of interest with PIA due to his private air line which was competitor of PIA. Similarly, one of the president's of this country had competing private air line.
Same was the case with Pakistan Railways, private transporters mafias lobbied to destroy PR to boost their private business.
This nation has been suffering due to vested interests of rulers and policy makers who one way or the other have conflict of Interest.
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Oct 27, 2018 06:29pm
Yup. He will take PIA to highest level of service and profitability. Doesn't matter that he has no commercial aviation experience. It will just happen. Inshallah!!
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Oct 27, 2018 06:31pm
@abdullah agreed...privatize it
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Oct 27, 2018 06:34pm
Every patriotic Pakistani wishes the new chairman well but the tumors which require invasive surgeries cannot be fixed with simple bandaids.PIA requires monsterous change from top to bottom.Here are some suggestions.
1.A complete review of each employees file from senior officials to peons to dig into every detail if they were hired due to PARCHEE from any political or influential figures.Rumor is thousands of employees were hired due to their affiliations with either PPP or MQM.All such parasites must be fired immediately.
2.Any employee who has been invoved in smuggling in the past should be shown the door without any mercy.
3.Past union contracts of free tickets for employees and their families should be immediately revoked.PIA cannot afford this burden.All contracts with unions should be renegotiated.I personally know somebody who retired years ago lives in USA and gets free tickets.
4.Sensitivity training of crew and staff to restore confidence in service and behavior.
5.offer competitive ticket pricing and change all SAFARSHEES in International offices.
Good Luck Mr Chairman you are going to need it to clean a swamp of corruption that is PIA's management.
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Oct 27, 2018 06:41pm
Back in 60s and 70s PIA was one of the best airline in the world when it was under PAF
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Oct 27, 2018 06:45pm
What PIA need is check and balances. Sincere management from top. Rest will fall accordingly,
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Oct 27, 2018 06:50pm
The people of Pakistan welcome appointment of Air Marshal Arshad Malik as the CEO. He has excellent record of 40 years service in the PAF. This reminds us about Air Marshal Nur Khan who had transformed PIA into a world class airline, making the national flag carrier "Great People To Fly With".
Those were glorious days when PIA helped train and manage other airlines. PIA created Emirates in 1985 by providing aircraft, pilots, cabin crew and management. Emirates has made a profit every year for last 32 years, today its rated as the best airline in the world.
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Oct 27, 2018 07:10pm
We still believe that those trained to kill are solutions to all the ills of Pakistan! The very first need of the day for such a pivotal role is the international leadership experience in turning around complex airline business. That is the prerequisite for success. Times for Asghar and Noors khan are long gone. Today it is a tough, throat-cutting and highly compatible business to run an international airline. It’s ok to have honest and loyal retired PAF officer working at certain positions to maintain discipline but NOT at the top.
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Oct 27, 2018 07:21pm
@Adi He is not just a pilot, he is Air Marshal which means that through out his illustrious career he has been on varied command, instructional and staff assignments, qualifying him to manage an airline. He has been managing far more air crafts and pilots in PAF Fleet than there are in PIA's fleet. Moreover, since Armed forces have a pyramid structure of promotion so officers who rise high are exceptionally competent, honest and believe in merit. So you can take a back seat and see PIA succeeding. With regards to his commercial sphere i believe he ll find an honest manager marketing / finance to assist.
Regards
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Oct 27, 2018 07:22pm
I am sure that soon PIA will take off under Air Marshal Arshad Malik and his team. The late Air Marshal Nur Khan found a great co -worker in Omer Kureishi and these two with the support of the workers took PIA to great heights. I wish everybody the best of luck.
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Oct 27, 2018 07:23pm
@Shahzad Shaikh Sir i totally concu your point of view but let me avail this opportunity to quote a well known saying of Alexander the great “An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep.”
I rest my case.
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Oct 27, 2018 07:27pm
Loss-making PIA needs professional management.
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Oct 27, 2018 08:20pm
@Hasnain Haque ,yes in theory it is simple but in reality very hard.
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Oct 27, 2018 08:23pm
@Danish ,Please go back in the history of PIA ,It had more than its share of Ex.Air Marshals as the CEO.
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Oct 27, 2018 08:23pm
We need a CEO who has experience in Aviation, running a airline and also has experience in re-structuring. Why Air-force guy to run a commercial airline ? Is this merit ????
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Oct 27, 2018 08:37pm
@Danish WRONG! absolutely wrong.
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Oct 27, 2018 08:45pm
@Umar Bidding farewell is not enough. Coruption and malpractices must be investigated and actions taken where required.
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Oct 27, 2018 09:18pm
Well. He is not the only chief of Air staff who is put in that position. I bet after earning a lot of money for himself, PIA will be where it is in a year.
Don't jump for joy just yet.
I am not sure what was the golden period, I have been travelling for 60 years, never saw any improvement. All previous chiefs are doing very well.
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Oct 27, 2018 09:28pm
I have known AM Arshad for the last 35 yrs. He is a true and honest professional. I am confident he will prove to be a good leader.
INSHAALLAH.
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Oct 27, 2018 09:43pm
Sheikh Rashid Sahib is apparently doing a wonderful job improving Railways. He should be given the additional charge for PIA as well.
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Oct 27, 2018 10:06pm
@Umar
Really? Umer, what is your rank? Are you not forgetting the former Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, who was allegedly involved in number of Corruption Scandals?
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Oct 27, 2018 10:08pm
@Amir
In Pakistan, it is merit.
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Oct 27, 2018 10:17pm
@Ali
Which people of Pakistan welcome appointment of Air Marshal Arshad Malik as the CEO?
They do not even know him. Are you belong to his PR fleet?
PIA needs a professional, competent and experienced management on merit.
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Oct 27, 2018 11:18pm
If the new PIA chief said that the airline's human resources were a "national asset" and there would be no retrenchment, then he has no heart to take bold actions that are the essentials for setting PIA back on track. The most important factor to control profitability of any airline is, its staff-to-aircraft ratio . While PIA operates with a world's highest ratio of about 500 staff per operating aircraft, the average for the other airlines of the world is in the range of 65 to 115.
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Oct 27, 2018 11:42pm
Making the same mistake expecting a different result ...... sheer madness.
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Oct 28, 2018 12:52am
Sir, you have our full support.
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Oct 28, 2018 12:57am
@PIA My rank is probably not the concern we are discussing dear PIA. See thats exactly what is wrong with PIA, being concerned with everything except your performance. In this context i guess Air Marshal Arshad Malik is just the right man to fix you.
Happy fixing!
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Oct 28, 2018 01:12am
@Phatti_Purani love what you said.
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Oct 28, 2018 05:58am
Congrats Gen Malik we are proud of our Air Force.
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Oct 28, 2018 09:33am
Same a YES SIR type of actor assigned to Manage a commercial Airline. Do not expect any change.
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Oct 28, 2018 12:51pm
Best wishes Sir.
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