KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has grounded 141 pilots following the announcement by Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar that hundreds of pilots of the national flag carrier were suspected to be holding dubious licences.

PIA Chief Executive Officer Arshad Malik communicated about the fresh development to the Ministry of Aviation and all the ambassadors. He relayed that 17 other pilots were grounded earlier. The action has been taken on request of the aviation minister

The captain of the passenger plane carrying 43 passengers that skidded off the runway in Panjgur, is also among the pilots who were barred from flying any further.

Also Read: Dubious pilots licenses do not pertain to PIA alone: national airline

On the flip side, Airblue also grounded nine of its pilots having fake licences.

Ghulam Sarwar had said that details of 262 pilots with dubious licenses was being shared with their employers, while the case of termination of 28 pilots would be floated before the federal cabinet for approval.

On Jun 26, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed has expressed resentment over “incompetent pilots’” flying passenger planes with fake licenses. He said it was tantamount to a propelling missile that could explode anytime.

He expressed these remarks in response to the preliminary report of the Karachi plane crash incident, while hearing a suo moto case pertaining to measures against coronavirus in Islamabad. He summoned the chief executive officer of the Pakistan International Airline and other relevant officials on the next date of hearing to give clarification on the plane crash without technical fault and issuance of fake degrees and licenses to pilots.