KARACHI – November 7, 2025
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Thursday dismissed the president and secretary general of the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP), escalating an ongoing dispute that has already disrupted flight operations across the country.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafiz confirmed that SAEP President Abdullah Jadoon and Secretary General Awais Jadoon were terminated from service. Both were serving as aircraft engineers — Abdullah in pay grade VI and Awais in grade VIII — according to official dismissal notices seen by Dawn.
The notices cited “unauthorised disclosure of official and confidential information” and “conducting a press conference without prior authorisation” as grounds for dismissal. The documents stated that both engineers failed to appear before the inquiry committee and the chief executive officer despite being given multiple opportunities to defend themselves.
“After examining the available evidence and statements of prosecution witnesses, the enquiry committee found you guilty of the charges levelled against you,” the notices read, adding that the decision to dismiss both officers from PIA service was effective immediately.
The dismissals come amid an ongoing tiff between the PIA management and the SAEP, with the protesting engineers refusing to issue clearance certificates to aircraft — a move that has disrupted flight operations in recent days.https://t.co/IaN5QEU6mu
— Dawn Business (@dawn_business) November 6, 2025
The dismissals come amid a two-and-a-half-month standoff between PIA management and SAEP engineers, who have refused to issue aircraft clearance certificates in protest over salary increases and other demands. The move has led to repeated flight delays and cancellations, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at airports in recent weeks.
PIA maintains that the engineers’ actions amount to an illegal strike under the Essential Services Act, which prohibits the suspension of work in essential national services. The airline warned that all personnel “involved in or supporting such actions as part of a conspiracy will face legal action.”
In contrast, SAEP officials insist they are not on strike, arguing that engineers are working but refusing to approve aircraft they deem unsafe. “We cannot compromise on airworthiness or passenger safety,” Awais Jadoon said earlier, claiming that management pressure had created an unsafe working environment.
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The airline has since claimed partial restoration of flight operations through alternative arrangements, though sporadic delays continue at major airports nationwide
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