International organisation bars Pakistan’s CAA from issuing licenses to pilots

ISLAMABAD: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has barred Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority from issuing licenses to pilots.

The ICAO has reportedly issued a notice to the CAA saying that it was no longer allowed to issue licences to pilots, crew or engineers. The controversy of issuance of bogus licenses to hundreds of pilots surfaced paved the way for this action.

Also Read: PIA grounds 141 pilots allegedly for having dubious licences

The international organisation has also postponed its inspection to Pakistan and expressed reservations over safety. The organization may take strict action if the CAA fails to satisfy it by Dec 31. The CAA has been directed to check licenses issued by it earlier.

On Sept 16 the local media had reported that the CAA had declared 180 out of 262 pilots, who were suspected of having dubious licenses, ‘qualified to fly’.

The inquiry report submitted to the Cabinet Division had revealed this. The probe report told that 82 pilots were involved in minor misconduct in their exams, therefore either their licenses will be cancelled or they will be suspended for one year.