CAA reluctant to take action against PIA pilots possessing 'fake licences': sources

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has shown reluctance to initiate action against the pilots of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) who are allegedly possessing ‘fake licences’ despite receiving the directives of the aviation minister, citing sources, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Sources told ARY News that the aviation authority has not taken any action against the national carrier’s pilots nor the list of the fake licence holders were handed over to PIA administration.

PIA chief executive officer had written letters to the CAA director-general twice regarding the inquiry against 150 pilots allegedly possessing fake licences. However, no response was made by the aviation authority so far.

Read: SHC berates CAA over failure to submit PIA crash report

PIA had reportedly grounded 17 pilots in February last year over having fake licences after the completion of inquiry and also released the list of the aviates which was also obtained by ARY News.

The PIA spokesperson said that the grounded pilots had been paid approximately Rs200 million in term of their salaries during their service period which caused financial loss to the national carrier. However, CAA has failed to provide an inquiry report to the authorities despite receiving letters, added the spokesperson.

The airline’s spokesperson further said that more pilots having fake licences will be grounded after the provision of the list from the CAA management.

Earlier in the day, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) asked the Aviation Division to provide a list of all such pilots associated with the airline in the wake of Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan’s claim that over 30 per cent pilots have fake or improper licences.

Read: PIA reaffirms resolve to further improve safety standards

PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik wrote a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) director-general, stating that the aviation minister, speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, had claimed that out of the 264 fake/suspicious pilot licences, around 150 belonged to PIA pilots.

As an operator as well as the national flag carrier, he said, “it is a grave concern for us as many out of these 150 pilots must by flying PIA aircraft, which cannot be allowed after disclosure of fake/suspicious licences scam by Aviation Minister.”

Arshad Malik reminded the top CAA official that he had penned a similar letter to the aviation secretary yesterday for provision of a list of those PIA pilots having fake or suspicious licences but no response has so far been received.

“It is once again being emphasized to provide the requisite list so that immediate action may be initiated within rules and to stop the flying of these pilots which may become a severe potential hazard,” he said.