ICAO team arrives in Pakistan to conduct safety audits
A team representing the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) officially commenced a flight safety and maintenance audit in Pakistan.
Led by Oscar Rubio Annibal, the four-member team from the International Civil Aviation Organization Universal Security Audit Program Continuous Approach Program (ICAO USAP-CMA AUDIT) visited the headquarters of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and engaged in discussions with senior leadership.
On the Pakistani side, Nadir Shafi Dar, the DDG Regulatory, led the delegation, who was supported by Air Commodore retd. Shahid Qadir, the Director of Aviation Security.
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Discussions during the meeting included presentations from both sides and a thorough examination of the audit program's procedures.
Following this, the ICAO team met with Khaqan Murtaza, the DG CAA, who assured them of complete cooperation and unrestricted access throughout the audit process.
The ICAO team expressed satisfaction with the arrangements and commended the support provided by local authorities.
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The audit will encompass all facets of aviation, including legislative review, documentation, procedures, and operations. It will also involve observations of airport operations, ASF security, airlines, cargo handling, catering, and air navigation facilities.
Pakistan aims for ICAO's approval to resume flights to Europe and the United Kingdom (UK) after a ban that began in July 2021, following the Karachi plane crash on May 20, 2022, and revelations by the then Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar regarding fake licenses held by around 40 percent of Pakistani pilots.
Manjeet Singh will head the ICAO delegation, focusing on various critical aspects of aviation, including license standards, flight safety measures, and air traffic control protocols.
During their visit, the ICAO team will inspect key aviation facilities such as Lahore and Karachi airports, along with the CAA Headquarters in Karachi. They will also scrutinize regulatory preparations and procedures governing Pakistani aviation to ensure the safety and security of flights operating in European airspace.
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In January 2022, the ICAO expressed satisfaction with safety measures taken by Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), leading to the removal of CAA from the list of safety significant concerns (SSC).
The removal of the SSC designation on CAA will facilitate the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in lifting the ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights from Pakistan to Europe. The ICAO's audit in December 2021 yielded a ranking of 72.77 percent for CAA.
Source: ARY News