ICAO audit team to arrive in Pakistan on November 29

KARACHI: The audit team of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has scheduled its visit to Pakistan in November to complete its auditing process of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), ARY News reported on Sunday.

The restrictions imposed by the European Union (EU) on Pakistani aircraft are likely to be ended after the upcoming visit of the ICAO audit team next month. The organisation will complete its audit of PCAA during its upcoming 12-day visit to Pakistan.

The ICAO auditors will arrive in Pakistan on November 29 and it will complete its audit process by December 10 in which it will scrutinise the functioning of important departments of the PCAA.

READ: FLIGHT ACCIDENTS ROSE 12PC GLOBALLY IN 2019, ICAO REPORT FINDS

The areas that will come under the auditing process will include the licencing system of pilots, air navigation system (ANS), aircraft operations, airworthiness of the aircraft, aerodromes and ground aids (AGA).

The PCAA Director-General Khaqan Murtaza said in a statement that the civil aviation authority has made visible progress on removing concerns of the international aviation organisation. He added that the local authorities have completed their work on all points to end restrictions on the air operations.

Khaqan Murtaza expressed hopes that the progress will lead to the lifting of all restrictions.

Earlier in April, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) audit team had postponed its scheduled visit to Pakistan owing to the recent spike in the coronavirus cases amid the third wave of the disease.

However, the organisation expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for improving its licencing process.

It was learnt that the ICAO’s satisfactory remarks came after a report presented by the CAA regarding the reforms and progress on the Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs) of the international aviation institution. The CAA’s steps for reforming personal licencing grabbed an 83 per cent rating out of the highest 97.4 per cent from ICAO.

READ: CAA TAKES STEPS TO REMOVE ICAO’S CONCERNS OVER PILOTS LICENCING

According to the CAA spokesperson, ICAO concluded Mandatory Information Request (MIR) regarding the licencing process in Pakistan after expressing satisfaction over the functionalities and operations of three sections.

The international institution had directed Pakistan’s aviation authorities to further progress in reforming five sections.

The ICAO had maintained its reservations over the safety steps of the Pakistan aviation authority and asked the concerned authorities to improve flight standard, airworthiness, aircraft accident and investigation board, air navigation and aerodromes and ground aid sections.

Following the reservations, the permission letter issued to Pakistan’s aviation authority by ICAO had remained suspended.