KARACHI: Lahore High Court (LHC) judge Abdul Aziz Sheikh issued notice against Secretary Establishment Division, Secretary Aviation, Director General Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Pakistan International Airlines to appear on January 23, 2023. Notice is issued against petition filed by Salman Azam for release of assistance package as petitioner’s son had died in crash of PIA flight in Karachi on May 22, 2022.    

Advocate for petitioner Nabeel Javed Kahloon stated that to date, neither representation of petitioner has been decided nor an assistance package was awarded to petitioner. He said Establishment Division is human resource arm of government, it deals with all matters related to country’s civil service and is regarded as one of most sensitive and important divisions of government. Division operates directly under Prime Minister as Minister In-charge. According to Civil Services Manual, Establishment Secretary has authority to single-handedly appoint or transfer officers up to Grade 20.

PIA flight 8303 was commanded by Captain Sajjad and First Officer Usman Azam coming from Lahore to Karachi when it crashed into Model Colony. Of 91 passengers and 8 crew on board aircraft 97 were killed and two passengers survived with injuries. Petitioner is brother of pilot first officer, Usman Azam. He had filed an application to Establishment Secretary for release of family assistance package wherein no response had been provided by respondents to date to petitioner.

Establishment Secretary has been avoiding meeting with petitioner, paralysed father (66) of deceased despite many efforts to date. 

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 26 2022

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