KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) reportedly compromised air safety rules when it allowed a pilot to operate a long-haul flight without mandatory rest, as prescribed by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Sources said that senior pilot Amir Hashmi, who is also president of the Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association, operated PIA’s Lahore-Toronto flight PK 789 at 7.30am on Sept 9 after taking less than 12 hours of rest in Lahore.

According to rules of the aviation regulator, pilots must take rest of at least 24 hours in the city from where they operate long-haul flights so that they are fully acclimatised and fresh.

The sources said that Mr Hashmi was scheduled to fly from Karachi to Lahore by PK 304 on Sept 7, arrive in Lahore at around 5pm and had to take a rest of 34 hours before operating the Toronto-bound flight. But, he did not take the schedule flight and instead reached Lahore at 8.45pm on Sept 8 through a Shaheen Air flight.

The sources said that by not taking the mandatory rest of 24 hours before the Toronto-bound flight Mr Hashmi had violated CAA rules and put lives of hundreds of passengers at risk.

Talking to Dawn, a spokesperson for PIA said he could not confirm whether Mr Hashmi had taken the mandatory rest or not for the Sept 9 Toronto-bound flight. However, he added, the airline would look into the matter if a complaint was registered.

He said flight schedules were made by keeping in mind all relevant CAA rules and regulations.

When contacted by Dawn, Mr Hashmi refused to comment on the matter.

The sources said this was not the first time that Mr Hashmi had operated a long-haul flight without taking the mandatory rest. He had operated a New York-Lahore flight without taking 24 hours of rest in New York where he had arrived from Panama City about 20 hours before he operated the Lahore-bound flight, they added.

Published in Dawn, September 20th , 2014