40% of Pakistani pilots hold fake flying licenses: Aviation Minister

[CW247]

Not so fake after all

https://www.dawn.com/news/1566500/cry-for-pia

The language of the letter is significantly watered down compared to the bombast with which the announcement in parliament was made. What are these indications? What are the grounds to suspect the genuineness of the licences in question? All this has yet to be established. The letter sent to the PIA CEO did not say that these pilots have fake licences and should be turfed out. It said only that the pilots mentioned in the attached list should be grounded while formal proceedings under the relevant Civil Aviation Rules 1994 should be carried out. During these proceedings, the letter continued, “appropriate opportunity … shall be provided by Civil Aviation Authority to each individual pilot to clarify his/her position”.

Now take a deep breath and pause. It turns out that the minister does not have evidence that the pilot licences in question are fake. All he has are indications that give grounds to suspect this. Based on these indications, he can proceed under the established rules to determine case by case whether the suspicions are indeed borne out or not. And each pilot in question has to be given a chance to clear his or her position.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1566500/cry-for-pia