By
Saman Jafarey
I am the daughter of a man who served for 37 years in PIA.
All of my life, my father worked for the national airline and retired in 2010. Six years on, he is still passionate about the organisation. Many evenings, he is on the phone conversing with his former colleagues and friends about the inevitable
doom of the airline and what could and should be done to rectify it.
My father does not fit any of the aforementioned generalised labels people have been very kind to pass. He worked hard for a living and he was loyal to the organisation. It is from my father that I learnt to work honestly and with complete dedication to any job I take. My father is an earnest man and he instilled the same values in my sisters and me. I am nowhere close to where I want to be in my career but my biggest strength is that I have never disappointed an employer.
So before you judge all employees by the same scale, let me ask you a question: How many of you are aware that every time the
government changes, be it PML-N or PPP, the top management of PIA does too?
1) I wish I could debate with her directly. This privatization isn't about her dad if he was a hard working man. Although I do sort of question how she was able to afford two degrees in the UK, if she was a Pakistani as you couldn't get a student loan in the UK if you were a foreigner, so you are paying hefty Pound Sterling and for a law degree from a reputable schools....probably 100K plus pounds. And she has two degrees!!
2) After my judgement above, she needs to realize, its not about her dad or one person. Its about 10-15K additional employees and contractors who aren't needed. But no one knows how to get rid of them as they were politically brought in. This is a Vitamin S (Screw) shot to the country's tax payer's every morning till the sun goes down and in dozens of millions every day, 7 days a week. Which one of us would want to invest into a business that loses money every day in millions, 7 days a week? None of us would!!
3) Her point about management changes per the government change. That is one of the many reasons WHY you privatize an institution like this. Once a board is established, those guys will have their money and people's money (stocks) poured into the airline. Meaning, their jobs will be on the line if they didn't produce profit. So that's the easiest way to get rid of all evil and be profitable, without caring for who is sitting inside the government!!
4) Once the company receives significant amounts of trading funds (IPO), the airline can modernize herself and buy new planes, also invest in other things to generate revenue and have savings. This will also pave the way for educated citizens who have great qualifications to run this business. And more educated Pakistanis will be employed vs. incompetent political workers. Plus, add accountability, the CEO and his team don't produce.....they get to go. Their board won't listen till profits are produced as everyone's bonuses will be tied to growing the organization into profits.
Americans earned those services.
Every American pays some tax, either to local/State/Federal governments. Hopefully once Pakistanis start paying taxes these services can be provided to Pakistan. Pakistan collect their taxes in September? Care to share?
You can google the tax returns of every American politician or businessman wanting to become President. In America an elected official not paying taxes is political suicide. Perhaps Pakistan can have the similar culture?
Americans pay taxes to the Federal, State, City and Counties (if you own a house and live inside a City and County), then we pay Sales and other taxes. That's how people get quality schooling, infrastructure, bus systems, train systems and all. Its not free..... then people who have businesses, also pay a part of their employee's social security, benefits, taxes and health insurance, etc, so its a LOT of taxes. I think on my personal income, after all said and done, I pay about 50% taxes!!!! Sucks to write checks to Uncle Sam, but its the law of the land!!
I imagine, if I was living in Pakistan, with the amount of money I pay in Taxes alone, I think I might be able to enjoy a very good and fun lifestyle. But that's not right to not pay taxes. If you care for your country and want to see her grow and not have to take loans and have a bad, third world name out there, you, the people have to start paying your share of taxes so your country can grow and give you and your children better healthcare, schooling, infrastructure and jobs!!
