Court seeks answers for 2020 PIA crash

SHC summons control tower staff record; seeks PIA, govt response

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has sought the record of the staff assigned to the control tower and ordered the PIA and the federal government to submit a detailed response within a week in connection with the aircraft crash in Karachi in May 2020.

The crash claimed the lives of 97 people.

The directive came as a two-member bench of the SHC led by Chief Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui heard a petition concerning the non-implementation of the Pakistan Airline Pilots' Association (Palpa) flight safety regulations during the May 2020 plane crash.

The Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) lawyer presented the list of staff present at the control tower at the time of the accident.

The chief justice questioned the CAA about the action taken against those responsible for overseeing the aircraft's landing.

The aviation authority's counsel replied that those individuals were immediately removed from active duty.

Th court expressed dissatisfaction, noting that merely removing them from duty was insufficient given that lives were put at risk.

The petitioner's counsel highlighted the gravity of the incident, stating that 97 people lost their lives in the crash.

The CAA counsel said according to the investigation report, the aircraft landed without deploying its landing gear, adding that its view was obscure due to the landing angle.

The court questioned about the weather conditions on the day of the crash, asking whether fog or visibility played a role.

It remarked that those present at the control tower were responsible for crash, noting that the staff allowed the aircraft to land without the landing gear.

The CAA counsel replied that PIA was ultimately responsible for the crash.

The court asked how many people were stationed at the control tower.

The CAA lawyer replied they had provided the list, saying two people were present at the time.

Justice Jawad Akbar Sarwana asked whether there was any backup staff.

Describing the control room, the CAA lawyer replied that it is a small room where radar and other equipment are installed.

The chief justice remarked "you are misleading us. We are asking how many people should be deputed [at the control tower]. You are saying there were two people".

Justice Sarwana remarked that control towers abroad are usually much larger and better staffed, adding that four years had passed but the federal government had not replied.

The court while summoning the record of the staff stationed at the control tower ordered the PIA and the federal government to submit a detailed reply within a week.

It warned that if the reply is not submitted the aviation secretary would be required to appear in person. The court adjourned the hearing of the case until Oct 22.