Even four days after a PIA plane crashed into a residential area in Karachi with at least 99 people on board, families of the victims are waiting for an official communication from the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on delivery of DNA reports and bodies of their near and dear ones.
With the passage of time, families of the victims are losing their patience. On Tuesday, relatives of some plane crash victims took to Twitter to vent their anger and frustration on PIA’s “callousness, insensitivity and incompetence” in the wake of the tragic incident.
Adil Rahman, who introduces himself on Twitter as “Grieving Son of Wahida and Fazal Rahmaan”, says he lost both his parents in the PIA plane crash in Karachi on May 22 and now incompetence of the PIA authorities in handling the post-crash situation is adding to his misery.
Adil Rahman tweeted: “I lost both my parents in this tragic & horrific crash. I submit to Allah’s will. However the ordeal we are suffering at the hands of #PIA is inexcusable. Callous, Insensitive, incompetent.... #PIAPlaneCrash”
He slammed the PIA authorities for failing to develop a communication protocol for families of the plane crash victims. He wrote on Twitter: "@Official_PIA it has been 4 days, how hard is it to organize a communication protocol that is both accurate and compassionate. Why are we getting multiple phone calls at every shift change asking extremely crudely, “aap ko bodies mil gai hain?”
Adil Rahman asked if the national flag carrier ever hired crisis management personnel to deal with such situations. He asked: "@Official_PIA isn’t this your job? Don’t you have any capable crisis management personnel? Why are you so heartless? You wake up the grieving family at 2:30am to ask the same asinine questions, aap ka naam keya hai? Aap ka rishta kya hai? Bodies mil gai hain?"
He asked the PIA to give some consideration to their pain and suffering and said that infighting between Lahore and Karachi forensic teams has already begun. He wrote: "@Official_PIA have some consideration for our pain and suffering. Infighting between LHE & KHI forensic teams has already delayed the victim identification process. Bodies are getting stolen. Have mercy on my deceased parents. do you have no soul or fear Allah?! @ImranKhanPTI"
Adil Rahman said that PIA staff keeps losing the paper sheet carrying names of plane crash victims during change of shifts and then makes midnight or early morning calls to relatives of the victims to confirm their names and relation to the victim.
Another complainant said he has not received the DNA reports of some members of this family who died in the plane crash four days ago.
Kumail Polani, who introduces himself as COO of the Polani's Group of Travel Companies and deputy convenor of the Diplomatic Committee of the FPCCI, took to Twitter to lodge his complaint against the PIA and tagged Prime Minister Imran Khan and Press Information Department of the federal government in the hope someone might hear his voice and help him.
Another complainant, Arif Iqal says he lost his wife and three kids in the PIA plane crash. His wife and daughter were identified with the help of their dress and jewelry, but his son and second daughter have yet to be identified. In a video message, Iqbal asked @ImranKhanPTI for help.
As many as 97 people were killed when an Airbus A320 passenger plane flying from Lahore to Karachi crashed near Jinnah International Airport on Friday afternoon. Two male passengers onboard the PIA flight survived the crash, government officials confirmed on Saturday.