Aviation association claims more than 1,500 Pakistani pilots remain jobless
The Aircraft Owners and Operators Association (AOOA) of Pakistan has called on the government to reconsider the recruitment of foreign pilots by local airlines, arguing that the practice is undermining employment prospects for qualified Pakistani aviators.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary of Defence on Friday, AOOA founder Imran Aslam Khan urged authorities to intervene and review the existing policy governing the employment of foreign flight crew by Pakistani airlines.
The association claimed that more than 1,500 qualified Pakistani pilots remain unemployed, despite local carriers reportedly employing over 150 foreign pilots. It argued that priority should be given to locally available professionals before airlines seek personnel from abroad.
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Raising concerns over the financial implications, the AOOA alleged that foreign pilots receive monthly tax-free salaries of approximately $15,000 each. Based on these figures, the association estimated that around $2.25 million in foreign exchange is transferred overseas every month.
The association also expressed reservations over an alleged extension of the permitted deployment period for foreign pilots from six months to three years. It questioned the changes, claiming they were introduced without adequate consultation with stakeholders in Pakistan’s aviation industry.
According to the AOOA, the revised arrangements could create opportunities for the misuse of recruitment regulations and further restrict career opportunities for Pakistani pilots.
The association has therefore urged the Defence Ministry to examine the policy, ensure transparency in foreign pilot recruitment and introduce safeguards to protect the interests of the local aviation workforce.
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It also called for qualified Pakistani aviators to receive fair consideration in recruitment decisions, maintaining that the availability of experienced local pilots should be taken into account before airlines resort to hiring foreign professionals.
The concerns have brought renewed attention to the balance between airlines’ operational staffing requirements, employment opportunities for domestic aviation professionals and the country's foreign exchange position.
Source: Bloom Pakistan