Rejection of CAA’s Airblue report

More than a year after the Airblue crash in the Margalla Hills that killed all those on board, the only thing that the families of the victims have which may ensure justice is the tenacity of the Peshawar High Court (PHC). In December 2011, the PHC, for the first time in Pakistan’s history, was able to force the authorities to release a crash report. Now, the authorities have rejected the findings of the report as incomplete and error-ridden and have demanded a new report that uses international experts for greater transparency. Had it not been for the court, the authorities would have blamed the crash entirely on pilot error and left it at that. But now there is a chance, however slim, that we will know for certain if the pilot was the only one at fault.

The Airblue crash report did at times read like a cover-up rather than a true investigation. The report described the young, inexperienced co-pilot as someone who was too scared to contradict the senior pilot, even though he knew that the latter was endangering the lives of the passengers. It seems scarcely believable that the co-pilot would fear a dressing-down from the pilot more than he would the possibility of losing his own life. The report also claimed that both the pilot and co-pilot were not fasting, hence their reflexes and concentration were not affected. How they came about this information is not revealed. Also, missing from the report, or at least the version of it released to the public, is the full transcript of the cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder. These may shed some light on the causes of the crash and so need to be released for public scrutiny.

The PHC, meanwhile, is ensuring that it is not only Airblue but the entire aviation industry that is held accountable. It has directed PIA to prove that its aircraft are safe — a review that is sorely needed after a spate of recent incidents. The court is also taking a proactive role in ensuring that Airblue pays compensation to all families of the victims. Thus far, Airblue has only paid out compensation if recipients have agreed not to pursue further damages in court. If the PHC continues on its crusade, justice, both emotional and financial, may finally prevail.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2012.