ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court has expressed displeasure over the poor performance of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Pakistan International Airline for not taking substantive steps for verification of degrees of pilots and other staff.
The top court has also observed that no concrete steps have been taken so far regarding verification of degrees and only unwarranted adjournments were sought. The top court has also expressed disappointment over lethargy of institutions for not verifying the degrees referred by CAA.
“We express displeasure and dismay over the poor and unsatisfactory performance of the management of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Pakistan International Airline (PIA) as no concrete steps have been taken so far to verify the educational degrees of the pilots and cabin crew of the airlines,” observed the written order.
The written order has been issued in the matter regarding re-verification of degrees of the pilots, cabin-crew and employees of CAA. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had heard the case on December 7.
“We have only received unnecessary details in this regard and unwarranted adjournments,” the order observed. “We are also disappointed with the institutions, to whom the aforementioned degrees/certificates have been sent by CAA but have till date failed to verify such degrees,” it added.
The top court has directed the heads of PIA, CAA and all those degree verifying institutions, before which degrees/certificates are pending verification, to appear in-person before this court on the next date of hearing without fail.
“The details of the employees against whom disciplinary proceedings have been initiated and the stage thereof also be intimated to this Court,” the top court further directed. “Besides, the details of the cases pending adjudication before any legal forum in this regard be submitted in the office within one week and office shall requisition all those cases so that they may be examined by this Court which shall decide whether they ought to be decided by this Court or appropriate orders for early disposal be passed,” it added.
The top court has also issued notices to Attorney General for Pakistan, Advocates General of all provinces, Chairman Higher Education Commission, All the concerned Vice Chancellors and Chairpersons of Universities and Boards, Director General CAA, provincial Higher Education Commissions’ chairmen, provincial secretaries of education department, heads of PIA, Shaheen Airline, Air Blue Airline and Serene Airline.
According to the order, all the above-mentioned persons are required to appear in person on next date of hearing fixed for December 24 in Islamabad.
Besides appearance, they are also directed to strictly comply with the above said order.
In May this year, a report of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) submitted in the top court had revealed that 24 pilots and 67 cabin-crews have fake degrees out of which 17 pilots have already left the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airline (PIA),
It added that PIA submitted list of 451 pilots and 29172 cabin-crews to CAA wherein it was pointed out that as per their verification, 24 pilots and 67 cabin-crews have fake degrees.
Out of 24 fake degrees holder pilots, the report stated, 5 pilots have obtained stay orders from Sindh High Court (SHC) by filing suits, 1 has obtained stay order from Civil Judge 1st Class Islamabad West.
Out of total pilots of 451, at present, the degrees/certifications of 319 have been verified and found to be genuine by PIA. The certificates/degrees of 124 pilots are under process.
“There are 7 pilots with bogus degrees who are working because of the stay orders passed by courts in their favour,” the report added.
CAA said that the private airlines including Shaheen Air International, Air Blue Limited, Serene Air requested the time to verify degrees of their pilots and cabin-crew as they stated that they had never done this exercise before.
“The CAA’s Committee directed them through letters that this exercise needs to be completed within one month positively,” CAA stated adding that the moment the committee receives the verification letters those will be re-verified from the concerned educational institutions.
Report stated that CAA’s Committee has collected the data of pilots and cabin-crew from the private airlines wherein Shaheen Air International Limited has 171 pilots and 573 cabin-crews, Air Blue Limited has 104 pilots and 257 cabin-crews and Serene Air has 41 pilots and 70 cabin-crews.
“CAA’s Committee has sent the data of 2451 persons received from these three airlines and for re-verification.”
CAA has initiated action against fake degree holder pilots by issuing show cause notices for cancellation of licenses so as to meet the ends of natural justice that no one should be condemned unheard.
CAA has sent data for re-verification of almost 2/3rd of staff. There are 3667 pilots and cabin-crew of all the four airlines. The committee has sent data for re-verification of 2451.The committee has received the information that 67 cabin-crew having fake degrees.
Colleges/Boards are demanding fee/charges from CAA for verification which in opinion of Authority is unjust and the said institutions have already completed the exercise.