Pakistan

CAA workers with fake degrees a ‘disgrace'

Authority’s DG tells Senate panel they were sacked in line with SC directives

Our Correspondent February 17, 2023

PCAA informed PPRA that there were serious anomalies in the examination system of pilots, pointed out in July last year by a high-level inquiry. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Director General Khaqan Murtaza on Thursday told a Senate panel that employees with fake degrees were sacked in line with the directives of the Supreme Court.

The Senate Standing Committee on Aviation met under the chairpersonship of Senator Hidayat Ullah, who observed that employees possessing fake degrees had disgraced not only the CAA, but the whole country as well.

He further inquired what measures had been taken against these employees.
He added that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would be asked about these workers.

The CAA DG told the panel that a National Assembly special committee on the reinstatement of sacked employees, headed by PPP lawmaker Qadir Mandokhail, had recently written a letter to the Establishment Division to dismiss him, the aviation secretary, and other officials.

He added that the body wanted them sacked for not reinstating the employees, who were fired for possessing fake degrees.

Previously, the NA committee had ordered the reinstatement of the employees dismissed since 2009 on charges of possessing fake degree. The NA committee had also ordered the restoration of the perks of 840 employees, including the closure of the cases against them.

The chairman of the panel noted that the reinstatement of the employees holding fake degrees would spread a wrong impression among the people.

Stressing the need for taking action against these employees, the chairman said the FIA director general should be summoned at the panel’s next huddle.

The government employees appointed during the period from November 1, 1993 to November 30, 1996 and dismissed during the period from November 1, 1996 to October 12, 1999, were restored under the Sacked Employees (Reinstatement) Ordinance Act 2010.

They were rendered jobless as a result of the SC’s verdict authored by Justice Mushir Alam on eve of his retirement on August 17, 2021. However, they were restored again by the apex court on December 17, 2021 by exercising its suo motu power under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution.