15 cases of fake doctors: Challans filed against 260 PIA employees, Senate body told

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Thursday, informed the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation that the agency has filed challans in 15 cases of fake degrees against 260 nominated employees of the PIA.

The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation was held at the Parliament House on Thursday with Senator Hidayatullah in the chair.

Senate Committee took up the matter of the PIA employees’ appointment on fake degrees.

The FIA officials apprised that challans in 15 cases against the 260 nominated employees have been submitted, however, the Special Committee on Affected Employees has directed for the withdrawal of cases.

Chairman Committee Senator Hidayatullah maintained that employees bearing fake degrees should not be spared at any cost and the recommendation of the standing committee should be implemented.

The Senate Committee adopted the report of the Sub-Committee constituted to resolve the issues of pilot licences.

Senator Saleem Mandviwalla termed the former aviation minister’s claim of “fake pilots” as ill-advised and stated that it has served a big blow to the PIA and the country globally. He suggested that the Civil Aviation Authority should resolve the matter in the ambit of its rules without the interference of the FIA and Court.

The Senate body was briefed on the details of flights cancelled from all airports of Balochistan in the last two months. The PIA officials apprised that 49 flights were delayed in the month of April and nine flights were delayed in June. However, the delay occurred due to financial and crew constraints and the flights will be normalised after the completion of Hajj operation, officials assured.

Senator Mandviwalla suggested that the PIA should engage private airlines so that the passengers could be accommodated. The committee recommended the PIA draft a viable flight plan for Balochistan and decided to invite the private airlines to the next meeting.

While deliberating on the Supreme Court’s recent decision which granted national carrier to recruit 205 skilled employees, the PIA officials informed that the Supreme Court has allowed PIA to recruit cabin crew, IT professionals and 80 pilots on contract of one year. Officials stated that the major impediment lies in the Supreme Court’s decision is that a cost of 15,000 to 20,000 dollars incurred on the initial eight to 10 months training of pilots and there is no legal binding which barred the pilots from joining other airlines after the initial contract of one year. The Senate Committee maintained that the Supreme Court has nothing to do with the management of the PIA and directed the PIA to share the Court’s decision with the committee in the next meeting.

Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan inquired about the number of active pensioners drawing pensions from Pakistan International Airline Corporation (PIAC) and how much pension is being given to widows of employees. The PIA officials apprised that as of now, 15,000 employees are drawing pensions out of which 5,000 are widows who have been paid two to 3,000 every month. The committee recommended that the pensions of widows should be increased from two to 5,000 as the current amount is not sufficient for the maintainability of family.

The meeting was attended by senators, Mandviwalla, Umer Farooq, and Dr Afnan Ullah Khan, and senior officers of the Ministry of Aviation, the PIA, and the FIA.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023