Pilots Licence Scam: 188 countries set to ban Pak airlines

Lahore: Airlines operating in Pakistan may face a ban from flying to 188 countries over their pilot licensing issue and failure to meet international standards as required by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a media report said.

Due to the licence scam, flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has already been barred from flying to the UK and the European Union, The Express Tribune report said.

The scam cam to light after Ghulam Sarwar Khan, the Federal Minister for Aviation, had revealed in August that 262 pilots including 141 of the PIA held fake credentials.

Meanwhile, the ICAO in its 12th meeting of its 179th session approved a mechanism for addressing Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs) to its member states.