Cancellation of pilot's licence: LHC restrains DG CAA from taking final decision

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday restrained director general Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) from taking a final decision regarding cancellation of licence of a commercial pilot Bilal Chughtai.

The petitioner's counsel stated before the court that CCA in 2015 had issued Air Transport Pilot License (ATPL) to his client after passing all examinations and renewed his license time to time till Aug 31, 2019. The counsel submitted that the CAA director general issued the impugned order on July 10 last and suspended his license on the allegation of fraud, misrepresentation and non in-person appearance in written examination.

He contended that there was no evidence available on record to support the allegations of the authority attributed to the petitioner. He pleaded that the impugned order was appeal able but the appellate authority was the same in this case. He argued that the civil aviation's rules allowing the DG to hear an appeal against his own order were violative to fundamental right and contrary to principle of natural justice.

The counsel asked the court to declare that the rules empowering the DG CAA to sit in appeal against his own orders were unconstitutional. He also asked the court directed respondents to provide an adequate remedy against the order in question and restrained from holding further proceedings against the petitioner.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020