PIA dismisses three pilots, 50 crew for holding fake degrees

islamabad — The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has terminated the services of three pilots and 50 cabin crew members for having fake degrees.

The employees have been dismissed on the instructions of the Supreme Court in a fake degrees case, a PIA spokesman said in a statement.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar had taken notice of alleged appointment of pilots holding fake qualifications in January this year.

A two-member bench headed by the chief justice on Tuesday directed the Civil Aviation Authority to complete the verification of the degrees of pilots by December 28.

“We have begun probe into [the cases of] all staffers who were hired [while] holding sham degrees,” PIA spokesperson Mashood Tajwar told a newspaper. Tajwar added that action will be taken against all employees found culpable.

Meanwhile, CAA Director-General Hassan Baig also issued directives to suspend the licences of fake degree-holder pilots and cabin crews in light of the Supreme Court’s direction. He also issued directives to suspend the licences of all those pilots and cabin crews who had not yet submitted their degrees and certificates for verification. Their licences would remain suspended till they submit their referred documents.

The CAA DG also ordered to extend the defect liability period of all the contractors of Islamabad International Airport for six months owing to their non-satisfactory performance.

Earlier, he had directed to extend the defect liability period of the contractor of boarding bridges of Islamabad Airport M/s Adelte for one year because of their disappointing performance.

The employees have been dismissed on the instructions of the Supreme Court in a fake degrees case

PIA spokesman