Ethiopia Also Concerned Over Pakistani Pilots’ Fake Licences, Seeks Verification

Ethiopia has asked the Pakistan government to verify the licences of Pakistani pilots serving in the African country after it reportedly stopped them from flying planes till verification.

In a letter penned to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Ethiopian Airlines has sought explanation about the credentials of the five pilots of Pakistan working in the airlines.

Five pilots of Pakistan namely, Tahir Rehan, Shehzad Aziz, Muhammad Jameel, Inamullah Jan and Muhammad Sohail are working from last one year in the Ethiopian Airlines, the letter reads and adds that the news of fake licences of Pakistani pilots has created panic.

United States’ Department of Transportation had also revoked the permission it granted to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate special direct flights to the US.

The authority had informed the national flag carries through an email on Thursday. It said, “The authorisation is revoked due to recent events identified by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority that are of serious concern to aviation safety, specifically matters pertaining to the proper certification of certain Pakistani pilots.”

Earlier, the European Union and the United Kingdom sought an explanation from Pakistan over the matter. “EASA has temporarily suspended PIA’s authorisation to operate to the EU member states for a period of 6 months effective July 1, 2020, with the right to appeal against this decision,” PIA had said in a statement responding to the EU ban.