ISLAMABAD Feb 07 (APP): The management of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Sunday expressed the hope that the striking employees would return to their work on Monday by calling off illegal strike thereby avoiding strict action against them under the Pakistan Essential Services (PES) Act 1952.
Since the Act has come into force in the Airlines, therefore it imposes a number of obligations on the employees with regard to performance of their duties, breach of which is not only a misconduct under PIA’s rules, but also an offence under this Act, the mangement said in a directive.
The management said, “For the information, guidance and welfare of
the employees, it is desirable that the offence and duties under this Act are notified. The offence have been enumerated under section 5 and 7 of the Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act 1952.
“The relevant extracts are reproduced herein below:
Offence
a) Any person engaged in any employment or class of employment to which this Act applies is guilty of an offence who:
i. disobeys any lawful order given in the course of such employment, or attempt to persuade any person to disobey any such order, or
ii. without reasonable excuse abandons such employment or absents himself from work or refuses to work or to continue to work, whether or not acting in combination with or under a common understanding of, any other person engaged in such employment, or
iii. departs from any area specified in an order under sub-section (1) of section 4 without the consent of the authority making that order.
Whoever instigates or incites any person engaged in any employment or class of employment to which this Act applies, to commit an offence under this Act, or knowingly expends or supplies any money or otherwise acts in furtherance of the commission of such an offence, shall be deemed to have committed that offence.
Penalties
Any person found guilty of an offence under this Act shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and shall also be liable to fine.
Employees are advised to refrain from indulging in any activity which may tantamount to an offence under this said Act, failing which they may become liable to prosecution in a Court of Law, besides disciplinary action under the corporation’s rules.”