CAA axes 4 officers over fake pilot licences

Senior joint director among the employees sacked

ISLAMABAD:

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has sacked a senior joint director and three other employees for their involvement in issuing fake licences to pilots.

According to a statement issued by the aviation regulator, the services of CAA senior joint director (licensing) Asiful Haq and three other officers, Abdul Haq, Adeel Aftab and Khalid Javed, have been terminated.

The CAA said it had completed its investigation into the issuance of fake pilot licences and started taking action against its employees found involved in the malpractice.

The authority said the inquiry report had recommended initiating criminal proceedings against the officers and the matter had been referred the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The four officers also face charges of bribery. The investigators found that they were involved in appointed people to the CAA after taking money from them.

In June this year, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan had made a startling revelation that 262 pilots, out of total 860 in the country, had "suspicious flying licences" and would be grounded immediately. Later, the PIA announced that it would ground a third of its 434 pilots.

Later, the PIA sacked 17 pilots for having 'dubious' flying licences on the order of the federal cabinet. They included 12 captains and five first officers.

In the wake of the fake licence scandal, the European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) has suspended PIA’s authorisation to operate in EU member states for six months expressing concerns over the minister’s statement.

Following the EASA’s move, the UK Civil Aviation Authority said it was withdrawing PIA’s permit to operate from three of its airports. “PIA flights from Birmingham, London Heathrow and Manchester airports are suspended with immediate effect,” a spokesperson for the authority told Reuters. The three were major flying destinations for the airline.

Later, the United States also imposed a ban on flights of the national flag carrier for six months citing dubious licences.

On June 25, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed took notice of the matter and the apex court issued directions for the registration of criminal cases against the officials involved in the issuance of fake licences to pilots.

The court also ordered the relevant authorities to immediately conclude the proceedings against pilots with fake licences. It also expressed its dissatisfaction over the reports submitted to the court by the CAA and the PIA.

During the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed remarked that CAA computers were not secure.

The CAA director general informed the court that the government was introducing reforms in the authority. The chief justice CJP remarked that the incumbent administration of the CAA was incapable of running the authority.

The CAA informed the Supreme Court that it had sought the assistance of the National Database and Registration Authority for the biometric verification of pilots appearing for its exams so that cheating could be prevented.

The aviation regulator also stated that it would install CCTV cameras and other technology to upgrade its examination process.