ISLAMABAD-Pakistan International Airlines has grounded 141 of its pilots found to had adopted unfair means in obtaining their professional licenses, said a spokesman of the national flag carrier here on Saturday.
Mentioning that the Federal Aviation Ministry had issued a list identifying 262 pilots with fake/suspicious licenses, Abdullah Khan said they also include 10 pilots serving the Serene Air and nine associated with AirBlue.
Chief Executive Officer of PIA, Air Marshal, Arshad Malik was said to had duly informed the Ministry of Aviation about the step being taken for the safety of flights and passengers.
It was particularly mentioned that the 141 pilots grounded by PIA do include 17 of those identified for their dubious credentials by the national carrier itself, around one and a half year ago.
Senior office bearers of Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association (PALPA), including its spokesman Capt. Qasim Qadir was said to be among them, along with Capt. Yahya Sandhila, responsible for Panjgur incident that led to disclosure of the issue itself.
Abdullah Khan regretting that there were lobbies bent upon to affect the PIA's Europe and North America operation, said PIA Chief, to avert the situation has dispatched updates to the ambassadors of the concerned countries reaffirming that the airline shall remain compliant with all international aviation safety and regulatory standards.
"It is also ensured that pilots flying PIA flights are having genuine licenses endorsed by the Government of Pakistan and are in physical possession of the same during all domestic and international flights," Air Marshal Arshad Malik was quoted to have emphasized.