Islamabad
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has advised Pakistan to suspend the issuance of any new pilot licences in the wake of a scandal over falsified licences, according to an official and a document seen by Reuters.
The recommendations from ICAO, a specialised agency of the United Nations that works to ensure safety in international air transport, come days after Pakistan opened a criminal probe into 50 pilots and five civil aviation officials who allegedly helped them falsify credentials to secure pilot licences.
“Pakistan should improve and strengthen its licensing system to ensure that it takes into account all necessary processes and procedures and prevents inconsistencies and malpractices before new licenses are issued and privileges of suspended licenses are re-established,” said ICAO, in a previously unreported letter to the Civil Aviation Authority last week.
A Pakistani aviation ministry official told Reuters that the country has not issued any new licences since July, in the wake of the scandal. The Montreal-based agency’s recommendations come ahead of an ICAO audit to assess the country’s aviation safety management systems.—Reuters
