FATAL CRASH SPARKS FAKE-PILOT PROBE, SIX ARRESTED

Pakistan’s top investigation agency arrested six people Friday for allegedly taking part in a scandal involving fraudulent pilots’ licences, which came to light after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) jet crashed last year. “Five Civil Aviation Authority officials and a pilot have been arrested,” the Federal Investigation Agency said, adding at least 40 pilots and eight officials from the CAA’S licence branch have been named in three cases. An inquiry into the crash in Karachi that killed 97 people pointed to pilots not following procedure. Pakistan opened criminal investigations into 50 pilots and at least five CAA officials. “We have found a money trail in the investigation, each pilot paid a minimum of $312.50 for each paper,” said Abdul rauf Shaikh, a senior FIA official. PIA has been barred from flying to Europe and the u.s.