UN bars staff from travelling on Pakistan-registered airlines

The United Nations has cautioned its staff across the globe to avoid travelling on Pakistan-registered airlines, including PIA over the alleged dubious licences of their pilots.

As per the advisory issued by the UN Security Management System (UNSMS), “Due to an ongoing investigation of the CAA [Civil Aviation Authority] Pakistan…due to dubious licenses caution is advised on the use of Pakistan-registered air operators.

The advisory has been issued for all Pakistan-registered carriers and has been recommended to all the UN agencies.

The orders from the UN came sometime after Pakistan aviation minister had dropped a bombshell alleging that hundreds of Pakistani pilots had dubious licences, said The News in its report.

Under the advisory, the UN personnel have been barred from travelling by any Pakistan-registered airline even domestically.

The Pakistan-registered airlines listed in the advisory include Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Air Eagle, Air Indus, Air Blue, Aircraft Sales and Services, Askari Aviation, Hawk Adventure Air, Hybrid Aviation, IAMC Airline, Meezab Aviation, Rayyan Air, Serene Air, Star Air Aviation and Vision Air International.

It is pertinent to mention here that the dubious licences claims were put forward by Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan in the National Assembly in June of last year after a PIA jet crashed in Karachi.

Sarwar had announced in the NA that of the 860 pilots working in Pakistan, 262, over 30%, had fake flying licenses.