ISLAMABAD – The federal government has cancelled the licences of 50 pilots and suspended those of 33 others, the Ministry of Defence informed the National Assembly on Saturday.
In a written response during the question hour, the ministry said allegations involving fake pilot licences had led to international restrictions on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights by the United Kingdom, European Union and United States.
As a result of the restrictions, PIA suffered an estimated revenue loss of Rs200 billion between August 2020 and December 2024, according to the written response.
The government took action against the pilots under the Civil Aviation Rules, 1994, cancelling 50 licences and suspending 33 others.
The ministry said PIA also lost access to one of its most profitable international markets in the UK following the restrictions. The loss benefited rival airlines, including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
The written response further stated that the federal cabinet had constituted a cabinet committee under the chairmanship of the defence minister to examine matters related to the issue.
