Detailed compliance report submitted on alleged PIA employee degree
forgeries
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted an extensive
report to the Standing Committee on Aviation regarding the alleged appointment
of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees holding counterfeit degrees.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Hidayatullah, convened to address crucial
matters concerning the aviation industry and PIA.
Senators Afnan Ullah, Faisal Saleem, and Umer Farooq were in
attendance, alongside key officials representing the Aviation Ministry, the
Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Chief Human
Resources Officer of PIA, and senior FIA officials.
The meeting commenced with an update on the progress of the
recommendations made by the Standing Committee to the FIA concerning the
alleged appointment of PIA employees with fraudulent degrees.
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The FIA submitted a comprehensive compliance report, underscoring
their commitment to expedite the scrutiny process. Following the committee's
directives, a thorough review of all cases was conducted, and the report has
been officially presented.
The Chief HR of PIA presented an overview of the entire employee
roster, detailing their qualifications, experience, designations, current
postings, and acting roles, with a particular focus on Group IV and higher. The
presentation revealed a total of 11,002 regular employees in Pakistan, while
the approved Human Resource Board (HRB) count stands at 11,877.
Committee members, prioritizing transparency, inquired about
employees in Group V and above. They also stressed the importance of hiring
native Pakistanis over foreign nationals for overseas positions. The Chief HR
highlighted the prevalence of Pakistani-origin staff in foreign roles.
Additional information disclosed that PIA currently employs seven
Pakistani-based staff in the UK, distributed across three stations. The
committee received information on the performance evaluation process for
UK-based employees, emphasizing PIA's commitment to monitoring the performance
of all employees stationed abroad. Notably, two employees in Saudi Arabia were
recently dismissed due to fraudulent degrees, while another remains under
scrutiny.
Chairman Hidayatullah commended the Aviation Sub-committee's
efforts in investigating pilot-related matters, revealing that their report had
been submitted to the Supreme Court and yielded favorable results for the
pilots.
Pakistan’s
airspace is completely safe: PCAA
The Director General of CAA informed the panel about an advisory
issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), urging air
operators to avoid flights over FIR Karachi (OPKR) and FIR Lahore (OPLR) below
FL 260 due to the prevailing security situation in Pakistan. He clarified that this
advisory was based on media reports suggesting the presence of anti-aircraft
weapons and claims of rockets/missiles in the hands of anti-state elements and
criminals. The DG CAA pointed out that there are no missiles or rockets capable
of reaching flights at 23-24 thousand feet, given that aircraft typically
operate at 29,000 feet or higher in these areas. He added that Etihad Airways
initially canceled all flights following the advisory but later resumed
operations after consultations with the authorities. The DG CAA urged
responsible reporting by the media to maintain the country's positive image and
noted that the advisory referenced FATA and Kashmir, despite the absence of air
corridors in these regions.
The committee also praised PIA for launching international flights
to Skardu.
Senator Hidayatullah took note of a statement published in leading
Pakistani newspapers by a senior PIA official regarding the possible closure of
PIA within 15 days. He emphasized the need to investigate this matter thoroughly
and present a comprehensive report to the committee.
Source: Business Recorder