Pakistan’s Senate Committee reveals multiple factors behind PIA’s EU flight ban
The restriction on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to Europe was not solely due to pilot license issues but also stemmed from a safety warning issued to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) a year prior.
This information came to light during a Senate Standing Committee on
Aviation meeting chaired by Senator Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo at Parliament House on
Monday.
Senator Saleem Mandviwalla revealed that the ban on PIA flights to Europe was influenced not only by concerns over pilot licenses but also by a previous safety alert received by the PCAA. The Secretary of Aviation confirmed that the safety warning predated the pilot license controversy.
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The meeting discussed the state-of-the-art air traffic management and navigation systems currently in place at the PCAA.
Senator Sherry Rehman urged immediate attention to the ongoing "license-gate" issue and the four-year-long ban on PIA flights to the European Union (EU). She called for accountability and transparency in addressing these separate but significant issues, which she felt had been inadequately managed.
Senator Rehman questioned why the civil aviation authority conducted license exams while simultaneously issuing a list of purportedly fake licenses. She criticized the previous aviation minister's actions that she believed worsened PIA’s and its pilots' situations.
Rehman emphasized the need for accountability, arguing that if ordinary citizens were involved, they would have faced severe consequences by now. She stressed that parliamentary oversight should be rigorous and that the civil service must also be held to a high standard, avoiding superficial presentations.
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She requested that the report on EU safety protocols and the inquiry into the pilots’ ban be shared with the committee. The committee chair agreed to convene a special session to address these matters.
The committee expressed frustration with the CAA’s performance and the unresolved issues affecting the airline industry. Members criticized the CAA Director General for failing to alleviate the pilots' situation and described the current period as a ‘dark era’ for Pakistan’s aviation sector. The Secretary of Aviation assured the committee that the pilots' issue would be resolved within two weeks.
The committee was also informed that PIA remains banned from flying to Europe due to international air safety concerns, although the PIA CEO reported that many of these concerns have already been addressed.
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In related updates, the Director General of the Airport Security Force (ASF) reported the installation of advanced security equipment, including a new high-tech 70kg weighing camera at Jinnah International Airport and 28 new baggage scanning machines, with 39 more planned. The ASF chief noted that while all travelers' baggage is scanned, some VVIPs are exempt from body searches. He also mentioned the loss of 24 ASF officials, including 11 in Karachi, in the line of duty.
Additionally, the committee was informed that Nawabshah Airport, affected by recent flooding, has been restored and can accommodate A320 aircraft, with plans to upgrade it for Boeing 777 landings.
Source: Dawn