Sarwar defends action against pilots having dubious documents

Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said the credentials of 262 pilots were declared dubious after the 16-month forensic inquiry.

A total of 102 pilot of different airlines has so far been grounded while 54 faced the music over dubious documents, the minister said on Wednesday a day after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) notified suspension of the licences of 34 pilots on charges of bogus credentials.

Ghulam Sarwar said the government has so far dismissed 28 fake pilots while 26 bore the brunt over impersonation in exams and 34 put on licence suspension notification.

The minister said that inquiry has been underway to take action against fake pilots associated with foreign airlines.

Of 54, 48 pilots associated with UAE Airline are cleared while nine out of 11 serving the Vietnam Airline and two of four working with Bahrain Airline got clearance, the minister said, adding that inquiry against Pakistani pilots associated with Malaysian and Turkish airlines is underway.

He said the authorities will pursue the case for criminal proceedings, blaming the mess on the previous governments and criticized the renewal of licences.

“Unfair means were used to recruit the pilots in the past. Had they stayed, the Pakistan International Airlines would have been disappeared. They renewed the licences after taking bribe,” he added.