RAWALPINDI: The Pak­is­tan Civil Aviation Autho­rity (PCAA) has completed the scrutiny process of the record of 262 pilots, while show-cause notices have been issued to 193 pilots suspected of having ‘dubious’ flying licences.

According to sources, the PCAA inquiry board found 850 pilots with suspected credentials out of which 262 licences were found ‘dubious’. The board had grounded all the 262 pilots, while the federal cabinet had approved cancellation of the licences of 28 pilots out of these 262.

Of the 193 pilots, who were issued show-cause notices, 140 have submitted their replies and they are being called in batches by the inquiry committee to explain their positions.

A senior official said not­ices to the remaining pilots could not be sent because there were ‘technical mistakes’ in the names of some pilots and their registration/reference number which are being resolved.

A five-member committee constituted by the Aviation Division to investigate the pilots’ cases has been scrutinising the credentials of pilots.

Meanwhile, the Aviation Division has referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) the cases against five CAA officials, who had been suspended for their alleged involvement in issuing dubious licences. It has also sought FIA’s help against the CAA’s information technology experts involved in the examination scam.

According to sources, the Aviation Division has asked the FIA to identify the CAA’s licencing branch officials, IT experts and other people related to the network that helped some pilots appear in the exam through proxies.

The Aviation Division’s team is likely to have a session with the FIA’s experts next week to review the cases of CAA officials who have already been suspended.

Following the Supreme Court’s orders, the CAA has decided to adopt zero tolerance policy against anyone found involved in the pilots’ exam scandal.

On July 21, the Supreme Court had directed the CAA to immediately complete an inquiry against pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines who possess dubious licences.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2020