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ISLAMABAD, Friday (AFP) Pakistan's top court has overturned the decision of a lower court allowing airhostesses to work with state carrier Pakistan International Airline (PIA) beyond the age of 45, a lawyer said.

Nine airhostesses had challenged their retirement by PIA in the high court of southern Sindh province as discriminatory, pointing out that their male colleagues can serve 15 years longer.

The Sindh High Court decided in favour of airhostesses and asked the national carrier to take them back on duty, but PIA appealed against the ruling in the Supreme Court.

"The Supreme Court suspended the decision of Sindh High Court, saying it (retirement age of 45) was not discriminatory," PIA lawyer Khawaja Tariq Rahim told AFP.

"This is not discrimination or a discriminatory rule, as it is not against a particular woman or some women, but applied to a class or cadre of employees."

PIA spokesman Imran Gardezi said passengers did not approve of "aging air hostesses."

"It is also not culturally appropriate that an old lady serves the passengers onboard," Gardezi told AFP.

He denied any discrimination, saying the hostesses were "retired under the rules and regulations of the airline."

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