PIA flights grounded for the second day as engineers’ protest continues.

PIA – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) – A protest by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) engineers has entered its second day. This has caused major flight problems in Karachi, leading to many delayed and canceled flights. Passengers have been left stuck at the airport.

A disagreement between PIA’s management and its aircraft engineers has almost stopped all flight operations. The engineers are refusing to give the necessary safety approvals for planes. This has grounded many aircraft and ruined flight schedules at major airports.

Sources say the airline’s timetable is now in complete chaos. Since Monday evening, none of PIA’s international flights have been able to leave. Dozens of domestic and international flights have been delayed or canceled altogether.

In response, PIA management has started taking strict action against the engineers. Reports indicate that six engineers from Peshawar airport have been moved to Karachi. The engineers insist they are not officially on strike. They are still working but will only clear planes they believe are truly safe to fly.

The engineers claim that the management is trying to force them to approve aircraft using pressure and threats. To manage the situation, PIA brought in engineers from a private company. However, they were only able to clear two flights for takeoff.

On Monday alone, at least 55 flights were affected. Five flights from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad were completely canceled. Twelve international flights were also disrupted, creating a difficult situation for many travelers, including a large group of Umrah pilgrims.

Specific canceled routes include two Karachi-to-Skardu flights and one Lahore-to-Karachi flight. Lahore-to-Muscat flights were also called off. Other flights faced extreme delays, with one Karachi-to-Lahore flight delayed by over 14 hours.

The engineers’ union, the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP), says its members will not return to normal work until the airline’s CEO changes his behavior. They have stopped issuing the certificates that declare an aircraft safe to fly.

According to the union, the engineers have been peacefully protesting for almost two and a half months by wearing black armbands. They say that during this entire time, the airline’s management never tried to talk with them about their concerns.

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The main issues are that the engineers have not had a pay raise in eight years. The airline is also facing a serious shortage of airplane spare parts. They allege that they are pressured to clear aircraft that break safety rules. The union states they cannot put passengers’ lives at risk because of this pressure from management.

The CEO of PIA has ordered strict action against the engineers. He warned that anyone disrupting operations would face serious consequences. A spokesperson for the airline said the engineers’ group has no legal standing. He also claimed the protest’s real goal is to sabotage the government’s plan to privatize the airline.

The CEO stated that a law called the Pakistan Essential Services Act is in force, which makes such walkouts illegal. He said anyone supporting these actions will face legal action. The management is now arranging engineering help from other airlines and hopes flights will start departing again soon.