KARACHI, (DNA) – The management of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) decided to shun playing soft music during flights and instead Qaseeda Bura Shareef (an ode of praise for the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) will be played.

The decision was taken under directives of the chief operating officer of PIA, Air Marshal (retd) Arshad Malik.

Previously, soft music used to be played in PIA flights, but after the fresh directives, music will be replaced by Qaseeda Bura Shareef.

A recitation for a safe journey (due-e-safar) is also recited before a flight takes off. It is learnt that Qaseeda Bura Shareef is being played in all Boeing-777 jets initially.

Couple of days ago, Chairman and CEO PIA, Malik on Tuesday said that some loss-making PIA routes have been closed. Addressing a press conference, Malik said that a corruption mafia was active in the PIA and the airlines was bearing huge losses in its operations on a number of loss-making routes.

“We also came to know about shortage of the professionals in the organization,” he said.

The complaints about misbehavior with passengers was a routine. There were reports about removal of engines from the aircraft and disappearance of parts, he said.

There was an extreme lack of interest to run the airlines. Even there were equipment, which expired in a packed condition, CEO Malik said.

The PIA was making 300 to 500 million rupees losses at various routes so as, a number of loss-making routes have been curtailed to minimize the losses, CEO PIA said.