PIA Removes 63 More Pilots Over Fake Pilot Licences (Pakistan International Airlines)

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Saturday it sacked 63 employees in last month on various charges, including fake pilot licenses, fake educational credentials, embezzlement, and dereliction of duty.

PIA Removes 63 More Pilots Over Fake Pilot Licences (Pakistan International Airlines)

PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan said that the actions had been taken in accordance with the rules. He confirmed that among the 63 laid-off employees, 5 were captains, who were sacked over charges of having fake licenses. The PIA fired 28 employees over fake credentials, while 27 employees were sacked for being absent without notice. Two employees over fired on charges of embezzlement and one employee were fired for incompetence, according to officials. Besides, the airlines demoted four employees for refusing to work and held back increments to three employees for violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs). 

The spokesperson said rules of procedure were followed in the process of punishment, which would continue in PIA without any pressure. According to a notification issued by the national flag carrier, out of the 49 employees, 25 had been sacked for allegedly possessing fake or tempered degrees, 21 over prolonged absence, one for breach of applicable rules, two for disclosure of official information on social media and media. However, two other employees of the national flag carrier had been demoted over breach of rules, and one faced deduction of increments over his alleged absence from the place of duty. Last month, the PIA had sacked 17 pilots for having ‘dubious’ flying licenses on the order of the federal cabinet. They included 12 captains and five first officers. The sacking followed startling revelations by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.