Droop Issuance Of New Pilot Licenses: UN Aviation Physique To Pakistan

Islamabad:

The Worldwide Civil Aviation Group (ICAO) has suggested Pakistan to undertake “rapid corrective actions” and droop the issuance of any new pilot licenses within the wake of a scandal over falsified licenses, in line with an official and a doc seen by Reuters.

The suggestions from ICAO, a specialised company of the United Nations that works to make sure security in worldwide air transport, come days after Pakistan opened a felony probe into 50 pilots and 5 civil aviation officers who allegedly helped them falsify credentials to safe pilot licences.

“Pakistan ought to enhance and strengthen its licensing system to make sure that it takes into consideration all needed processes and procedures and prevents inconsistencies and malpractices earlier than new licenses are issued and privileges of suspended licenses are re-established,” mentioned ICAO, in a beforehand unreported letter to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) final week.

A Pakistani aviation ministry official instructed Reuters that the nation has not issued any new licenses since July, within the wake of the scandal.

The Montreal-based company’s suggestions come forward of an ICAO audit to evaluate the nation’s aviation security administration programs.

The ICAO audit, initially scheduled for November this yr, has been moved to June, successfully giving the PCAA extra time to work on reforms, the official mentioned.

A PCAA spokesman didn’t reply to a request for remark.

An ICAO consultant declined to touch upon particular particulars, however mentioned in an e mail that ICAO is “serving to Pakistan to recognise considerations, and if they don’t take swift motion on them we’ll actively notify different international locations about them.”

The pilot scandal has tainted Pakistan’s aviation trade and harm flag service Pakistan Worldwide Airways (PIA) , which has been barred from flying into Europe and the USA.

Along with revoking the licenses of 50 pilots, Pakistan has additionally suspended one other 32 pilots for a yr.