KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has planned to shift its head offices including flight services division, commercial department and human resource divisions, from Karachi to Islamabad by the end of January, 2021.

The initiative has been taken to restructure the national flag carrier through which the human resource cost would be lessened from the current costing that is Rs24.8 billion annually.

Flights scheduling department, medical division, corporate development department, works division and supply chain management will be moved to Islamabad by the end of February. Furthermore, the internal audit, corporate secretariat, finance departments and engineering department will be transferred by the end of March and June 2021, respectively.

PIA is also planning to introduce ‘Sehat Card’ for their employees and if this idea wouldn’t be a success then the medical facility will be provided through public hospitals as provision of medical facility through private hospitals is being a financial burden on the company.

Moreover, through the judgements on performance, discipline and value addition employees will be mandatorily retired and the mandatorily retired employees would not be eligible of VSS Financial Package along with medical or passage facilities.

According to PIA Officers Association general secretary Safdar Anjum, the information has been disclosed in order to create panic among the employees so that they avail VSS. Anjum further informs that the decision of shifting head offices has also been taken due to the difficulties faced by employees in attaining accommodation or other facilities.