KARACH - The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (PALPA) to submit minutes of their next meeting, and adjourned the hearing till November 8. Counseling on behalf of the Defence Ministry, Makhdoom Ali Khan Advocate appeared before a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmany, wherein he submitted that the settlement between the both parties were on process and they had agreed to resolve the disputes in the next meeting. The PALPA submitted a constitutional petition challenging the conditions of the Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act imposed on the cockpit crew by the government. Earlier, a PIA representative appeared before the bench and submitted that they also work on the conditions of the said act. The court after hearing his arguments adjourned the hearing while directed to submit the details of their next meeting. The petitioner submitted that the PIA with mala fide intention got a notification issued through the Ministry of Defence under Section 3 of the Pakistan Essential Services (maintenance) Act to control the cockpit crew. It submitted that the PIA and the petitioners had a working agreement that regulated the cockpit crew and ensured that the pilots got sufficient rest and sleep. However, he said, the cockpit crew was not getting proper sleep and rest as there was a shortage of at least 148 pilots in the national flag carrier. The petitioners submitted that the pilots were overworked against all international aviation norms and standards, which may result in fatal accidents. They stated that the government imposed the conditions of the Act on the PIA cockpit crew, which carried punishment of one-year term and removal from service for violation. They added that the imposition of the Act was in sheer violation of the working agreement between the PIA and the cockpit crew. The plaintiff prayed to the court for the suspension of the notification imposing condition of the Act on the petitioners. The petitioner said that the PIA had filed a suit in the High Court saying that the PALPA members had virtually gone on strike by directing its members to employ go-slow method and obtained an ex-parte order of injunction against them. It also said that the PIA got the notification of the Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act issued from the Defence Ministry to obtain command and control on cockpit crew so that it could avoid the implementation of the working agreement. It also submitted that the PIA wanted to pressurise the pilots in flying in a condition where the pilot did not have proper rest and sleep in accordance with the international standards.