F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan was informed that the licenses of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crew members were suspended for holding fake degrees, on Wednesday.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar headed a three-judge bench and it heard a case pertaining to verification of degrees of pilots and cabin crew members.
Last year in January, the chief justice had taken notice of alleged appointment of pilots holding fake qualifications.
During the hearing, the counsel for Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) informed the court, “Except for six degrees all others have been verified. The six degrees that have not been verified belong to those who are abroad.”
He added that degrees of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crew members were fake and their licenses have been suspended.
At this, the chief justice remarked, “The impression is that action is being taken in haste over the court order.”
“We do not want to halt anyone’s source of income. The certificates on the basis of which the licenses of pilots and cabin crew members were suspended should be accurate,” the top judge added.
The counsel for CAA said, “Pilots have the right to appeal after their licenses are suspended.”
At this, a pilot present in the courtroom whose license was also suspended said, “My degree is not fake but my license was still suspended.” The chief justice then remarked, “If anyone has any issues then they should approach the relevant forum.”
Declaring that degrees of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crew members belonging to all local airlines turned out to be fake and their licenses were suspended, the court wrapped up the case.
