ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Aviation was requested to revive pending legislation, which aims to separate the two roles of a regulator and service provider of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
The CAA in Pakistan serves as both a regulator and a service provider, and internationally, these two roles are governed by separate authorities.
In light of this, the CAA has requested the committee to revive pending legislation, which aims to separate these two roles.
The committee also recommended authorising the CAA to declare the maximum height for the construction of high-rise buildings around airports.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Syed Mobeen Ahmed, MNA.
Previously, it was development authorities’ prerogative to determine the heights of buildings under the policy of a “one-window operation”.
The chairman Standing Committee said that despite efforts to shift airports away from residential areas, hindrances to flight operations persist. The construction of housing societies around airports has created a hazardous environment that puts the safety of passengers and crew at risk.
To address this issue, the committee has recommended that the CAA be given the authority to declare the maximum height for the construction of high-rise buildings around airports.
The committee believes that re-establishing the CAA’s authority will help to prevent future hazards and ensure the safety of all those involved in flight operations.
The committee has sought a formal report from the CAA on the illegalities occurring at funnel zones. These areas are critical to flight operations, and any illegal activities taking place there could pose a significant risk to safety.
The Standing Committee is committed to improving flight operations in Pakistan and ensuring the safety of all those involved. We urge all relevant authorities to take swift action on these recommendations to address the hazards around airports.
The committee raised the point that mostly people are not satisfied with the crash reports and demand more transparency in determining accountability.
One of the incidents that occurred in the past had an engine from Canada and a body from France and urged that we must convey our grave concerns to these countries regarding the horrific crash that claimed the precious lives of Pakistani citizens.
The committee believed that safety is paramount and urges all relevant authorities to take swift action to ensure the safety of all air passengers in Pakistan. We would continue to work diligently to address these concerns and demand accountability for any negligence that may have resulted in these tragedies.
We encouraged all concerned parties to come forward and collaborate with us in ensuring a safer and more secure aviation industry in Pakistan.
Upon inquiring by the Committee on issues faced by the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes, the committee has received concerning reports from citizens about the safety of its planes. In response, the Deputy Director General (Regulations), CAA has briefed the committee on recent developments, including the grounding of four aero-planes due to the PIA’s failure to obtain the Certificate of Airworthiness.
The committee is deeply concerned about air crashes in Pakistan and is actively investigating to determine responsibility for these tragic incidents.
The committee also raised concerns about the behaviour of the PIA officials towards respected parliamentarians at airports, emphasizing that if parliamentarians are not respected, it is unlikely that ordinary citizens will be treated with respect.
The CAA has informed the committee about a surplus of Rs41 billion for the financial year 2021-2022, the highest ever recorded by the authority.
However, the deputy DG of the CAA has expressed concerns regarding the addition of Rs50 billion in income tax on non-receivables from the PIA, which has accumulated to Rs150 billion. He has requested the committee to take the necessary action to address this issue.
The CAA is committed to ensuring the safety and security of the aviation industry in Pakistan and will continue to work with relevant authorities to address any concerns or issues that may arise.
While investigating the affairs of the PIA, the committee has expressed serious concerns regarding the under-employment of pilots in the airline. The PIA is facing a shortage of senior pilots due to a policy of taxing their salaries by 40 per cent. Furthermore, the fake license scandal that surfaced in the aftermath of the tragic PIA plane crash at Karachi in May 2022, which claimed the lives of 97 people, has also contributed to the airline’s pilot shortage.
The committee was briefed by the CAA about the filing of FIRs against pilots who obtained licenses using unfair means, and the CAA’s engagement with the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) to revive PIA flights for European destinations.
The committee has raised concerns about the behaviour of PIA officials towards respected parliamentarians at airports, emphasizing that if parliamentarians are not respected, it is unlikely that ordinary citizens will be treated with respect. The committee feels that the PIA needs to be revived to international standards, either by introducing reforms or through privatisation. The committee recognises the importance of the PIA in the aviation industry and will continue to work towards ensuring the airline’s success.
The meeting was attended by Choudhary Faqir Ahmad, Romina Khurshid Alam, Shahnaz Saleem Malik, Dr Darshan, Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Ramesh Lal, Kamal Uddin, Muhammad Abu Bakar, and Saira Bano, MNAs. Senior officers of the Ministry of Aviation and the CAA, the PIA, and the ASF were also present in the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023