ICAO audit team to visit Pakistan

Five-day inspection will focus on the flight safety and maintenance standards of CAA

KARACHI:

A delegation from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is set to arrive in Pakistan on November 5 to conduct an audit of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The audit, spread across five days from November 5-10, will focus on the flight safety and maintenance standards of the aviation regulatory body.

The visit is of particular importance as Pakistan strives to regain the nod of approval from the ICAO to recommence flights to Europe and the UK, following a ban from July 2021.

The ban was implemented due to concerns arising from the May 20, 2022 plane crash in Karachi and claims made by then Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar that approximately 40% of Pakistani pilots were operating with falsified licences.

Headed by Manjeet Singh, the ICAO delegation will conduct an in-depth evaluation of different facets of aviation, which includes license standards, flight safety protocols, and air traffic control guidelines.

The delegation will conduct assessments at several locations, including the Lahore and Karachi airports, and the CAA's primary headquarters in Karachi.

The team is also expected to scrutinise regulatory preparations and procedures pivotal to Pakistani aviation operations.

Earlier in January 2022, the ICAO had conveyed satisfaction with the safety measures put in place by Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority.

It is noteworthy that officials from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) are also scheduled to arrive later this month. They will be conducting an audit of both the CAA and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).