LAHORE: Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (PALPA) said in a statement that as many as 58 pilots who were suspended wrongly earlier have been cleared now, and the association will be committed to flight safety and service in the best interest of the airline and its passengers.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been under duress, and some PIA pilots with cancelled licences are contesting cases in a court of law.
A PALPA spokesman said that in total 141 pilots faced cancellation of licences, and out of them, 31 pilots were not in PIA and 26 were charged on the basis of incorrect data.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced the withdrawal of suspension against all wrongly accused 58 pilots.
Moreover, cases of 20 pilots were already in the courts before the publishing of the Aviation List, 2020. As many as six pilots are suspended for one year, but their cases are still in the court.
PALPA’s stance has always been very loud and clear on the matter, the spokesperson said, adding that there is a procedure for issuing a pilot’s license. Any pilot obtains the commercial pilot’s licence from the CAA upon completion of the prescribed flying hours and after passing various tests, examinations and practical training.
It is pertinent to mention here that as a result of “short-sightedness management and ill approach”, over 120 commercial pilots of Pakistan serving around the globe, including 56 ground engineers serving Kuwait Airways, lost their jobs under false accusations.
PALPA is part of global aviation professional associations and has been working around the world for passengers and flight safety, safer air while abiding by United Nation (UN), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), PCAA aviation rules.
PALPA has never compromised its flight safety and rules, and management has always been guided. Unfortunately, the pilots have been reprimanded for this role, the spokesperson said.
