All PIA 'fake pilots' grounded

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has accepted the Karachi plane crash probe, a spokesperson for the national flag carrier said on Wednesday.

"The government established a high-level probe body that did the job on modern lines. The PIA will take action under the guidelines. We have grounded all pilots with bogus licences,” the official said, adding that though the flight operation will affect but safety is the priority.

However, the PIA made it clear that fake pilots was not just an issue with the national airline. “People with bogus licences are also flying aircraft of other airlines too,” he added.

The PIA itself pointed out bogus licences after November 2018 Panjgur crash, the official claimed, adding that on the call of the top admin, such a high-level body was assigned the task and it kept on following up so that the findings could be publicised and no compromised must be made on flight safety.

Flight monitoring data system has been in place under the supervision of the senior most pilot who has not attached with an association, he added.

Separately, Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Wednesday said the ill-fated PIA Airbus was fully fit for flying and both the pilots and the air traffic controller were responsible for the May 22 Karachi plane crash.

Addressing the National Assembly where he presented a preliminary report on the incident, Ghulam Sarwar said the cockpit crew – pilot and co-pilot were not fully focused and remained busy in talking about the coronavirus pandemic and how their family members had been infected by the virus, he told the House.

Our senior reporter Samar Abbas contributed to this story.