Defence Committee recommends Pakistan Air Safety Investigation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, for passage by NA

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence on Thursday recommended the Pakistan Air Safety Investigation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, for passage by the National Assembly, paving the way for reforms aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s air accident investigation framework following the merger of the former Aviation Division into the Ministry of Defence.

The committee, which met under the chairmanship of Fateh Ullah Khan, also offered Fatiha for the Shuhada of the Armed Forces and Civil Armed Forces, paying tribute to their sacrifices for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to an official statement, the proposed legislation addresses statutory inconsistencies arising from the February 2025 merger of the Aviation Division into the Defence Division and introduces structural and administrative reforms to improve the country’s aviation safety architecture.

The bill renames the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI) as the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation Pakistan (BASIP) to reflect its nationwide mandate and upgrades the head of the organisation from Director to Director General.

The amendments also revise post-employment restrictions by limiting them to regular employees and full-time investigators, while introducing shorter restriction periods for short-term employees. The proposed law authorises the Secretary of Defence to grant case-specific waivers where no conflict of interest exists, provides for summary trial of offences to ensure quicker disposal of cases and corrects drafting anomalies in the Pakistan Air Safety Investigation Act, 2023.

The committee also reviewed progress on the expansion of Skardu Airport, including the extension of the existing terminal building and construction of a new terminal, and decided to undertake a site visit to assess the pace of work.

In addition, members directed the Ministry of Defence to submit a comprehensive progress report at the next meeting on the establishment of free monthly medical camps for civilian communities living near defence installations.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026