CAA vacancy filled?

Rumours regarding senior PIA captain Nadeem Yousafzai’s appointment have not been confirmed by CAA officials.

KARACHI: Rumours regarding senior PIA captain Nadeem Yousafzai’s appointment as director general of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been circulating for a few months now but there has been no official statement on the matter yet, CAA officials said.

Formally, the CAA has neither confirmed nor denied the rumours. Instead, it has insisted that there is no written evidence of his appointment.

Although some pilots are still serving at different posts in the CAA, no pilot has ever served as the director general of the body, according to sources.

In the past the aviation regulators has been headed by officials from various sectors other than aviation, including the oil and gas sector and the customs department. Sources added that it would be unsurprising if the government appoints Yousafzai to the post since the contender hails from the aviation industry.

There seems to be no restriction on age either since the government has appointed individuals over the age of 60 to the post in the past.

Separately, a spokesperson of the CAA commented that the investigation of the tragic Airblue crash is under way and there remains no pressure on the CAA over local safety standards.

The CAA has remained under scrutiny during the last few weeks regarding safety standards following the crash of an Airblue plane in the Margalla Hills, which resulted in the death of more than 150 passengers.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2010.