At least two persons were shot dead and 12 others injured on Tuesday during clashes between security forces and staff of Pakistan International Airlines protesting at Karachi’s international airport against the planned privatisation of the ailing national flag carrier.
The clashes led to the disruption and then suspension of many domestic and international flights around the country’s main airports.
The incident took place near the JinnahInternationalAirport here after the joint action committee which represents all unions of PIA gave a complete strike call on Tuesday despite the government enforcing Essential Services Maintenance Act under which all union activities were suspended and employees told to report on duty.
Though two of the protesters died of bullet wounds, Rangers and police denied opening fire at the site.
Kamran Afzal, the deputy inspector general (East Zone), has denied that the police backed by paramilitary rangers had opened fire on the protesting employees including women.
“The police fired tear gas shells and used water cannons but no shots were fired. Police officials on duty say gunfire was opened from within the crowd. We are investigating and will find out the truth after examining the two submachine gun shells that were found from the site,” he said.
Pakistan on Monday enforced the ESMA against the PIA as the employees of the ailing national carrier announced an indefinite strike from today following the failure of talks with the government on the proposed privatisation move.
Pakistan Airlines Cabin Crew Association president Nasrullah Khan said that the strike would go ahead as the government has not accepted their four-point agenda.
A heavy contingent of Rangers and police personnel were deployed at the site to prevent protesters from entering the cargo gate and moving onto Jinnah Avenue.
Two employees including a member of the PIA’s engineering department have died in the incident. At least 12 persons were injured, Sohail Baloch, who heads the joint action committee of the PIA employees, said.
As soon as the news of two employees' death was broadcast, PIA’s flight operations across the country began shutting down in solidarity with the protesters, he said.
Domestic and international flight operations from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Multan were disrupted with many flights being cancelled, Baloch claimed.
However, Danish Gillani, spokesman of the PIA said that there were some disruptions in flights schedule but otherwise back up arrangements had been made for undisrupted operation of the flights.
Last week, the government postponed the planned privatisation of its national flag carrier after ongoing protests by PIA employees. It, however, has said that it will go ahead with the privatisation plans of the national airlines.
According to sources, Pakistan has already decided to offload several big organizations running into losses, including the PIA, under an agreement with the IMF and will ultimately sell it. Though, the government is giving the impression that with sale of limited shares, it was not going to privatise the PIA.
Television channels showed passengers waiting outside at airports in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad and others in lounges waiting for their baggage to be delivered to them.
“Since all staff of the airlines is on a complete strike, there is no one to load or offload the baggage of passengers at different airports,” one passenger said from Lahore.
Image: Employees of the Pakistan International Airlines chant slogans as they march towards the Jinnah International Airport during a protest in Karachi, Pakistan. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
