RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Friday that the issue of dubious licences of pilots — which was raised after the investigation into the PIA plane crash in Karachi that claimed lives of 97 people — did not pertain only to the national flag carrier.

Also on Friday, the PIA management decided not to further extend contracts of 55 cabin crew members as their two-year contracts had expired.

PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said that the two-year contracts of 55 cabin crew members had expired and the management had decided not to extend them.

He said all the 55 contractual employees had been intimated about the decision through letters.

Commenting on the issue of ‘dubious’ licences, the PIA said in a tweet that the licences were issued by the competent authority and were “valid as per their records”.

Contract of 55 crewmembers not being extended

“It’s the process and discrepancies through which they were obtained [...] triggered the inquiry by the government and action.”

“Dubious Pilots Licenses do not pertain to PIA alone. Let it be on record, these licenses were issued by the competent authority and are valid as per their records.

It’s the process & discrepancies through which they were obtained, triggered the inquiry by GoP & action.”

Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Wednesday disclosed in the National Assembly that there were 860 active pilots in the country and 262 pilots had appeared in exams through proxies.

He had said that fake degrees and licences had been issued to pilots and almost 30 per cent of the pilots in the country had fake or improper licences. They also did not have flying experience, he added.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2020