Almost half the pilots in Pakistan have fake licences

Around 40 percent of the pilots in Pakistan have fake flying licenses alleges the country's Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar according to Gulf News. According to the website Sarwar revealed the disturbing news about the "fake" pilots while presenting a provisional inquiry report in the National Assembly of Pakistan about the recent PIA plane crash in Karachi. On May 22 flight PK8303 crashed killing 97. The pilots made a completely unacceptable approach according to Juan Browne, a 777 pilot (blancolirio on Youtube), who said that the Flighradar 24 data showed that the pilots of the A320 descended at twice the normal rate and went across the runway threshold at 210kts (388km/hr) well above the recommended 140kts (259km/hr). Sarwar told the National Assembly that Pakistan has 860 active pilots, which includes PIA, Serene Air and Air Blue pilots as well. He said that "the inquiry which was initiated in February 2019 showed that 262 pilots did not take the exam themselves and asked someone else to sit for exam on their behalf.” Gulf News reported that he said they have found out during the investigations that pilots with ‘fake’ licenses did not even have proper flying experience. The 40 percent 'fake' license holders also include hundreds of pilots who are not active flyers. Sarwar further revealed that “pilots were also appointed on political basis and merit was ignored while appointing pilots.” Sarwar added that an inquiry has been initiated and show cause notices issued to 54 pilots. “So far, at least nine pilots have confessed to holding fake degrees,” he claimed.