RAWALPINDI: The Senate Sub-Committee on Aviation at its meeting held on Friday to discuss and resolve the issue of alleged false pilot licences, gave several recommendations to resolve the matter, including separating the case of student pilots from the alleged fake licence holders for a fair assessment of the matter.

MNA Asim Nazir told the meeting, presided over by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, that even those student pilots who had not yet flown any plane, had been entangled in the controversy.

CAA DG Khaqan Murtaza, informed the meeting that the CAA had administrative powers and it was not involved in any criminal actions. He also stressed the importance of fixing a time limit for cancelled licences.

Mr Murtaza further told the meeting that the CAA was currently amending its rules and a summary would be presented to the federal cabinet for approval. He clarified that licences of the pilots had been cancelled by the cabinet division and not by the CAA.

“The pilots who don’t have any FIRs against them, will be cleared,” Mr Murtaza said. He said he had briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the issue.

Senator Mandviwalla stressed the need for swift resolution of the matter to protect affected pilots as their future hangs in the balance. He said the court was awaiting findings and a report of the committee and called for the quick resolution of the issue.

The FIA representative told the meeting that FIA could not withdraw cases against false licence holders. Mr Mandviwalla called for granting relief to innocent licenc e holders, urging the FIA to persuade those who had obtained court stays to withdraw them.

After discussing the matter in detail, the sub-committee recommended that the case of student pilots should be separated from alleged fake licence holders; FIA should present additional/final charges in the FIRs filed against pilots; and those accused of fraudulent activities during their examinations should und­ergo a re-evaluation examination.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2023