Pakistan has cancelled the licences of 50 pilots and suspended 33 others following investigations into irregularities in pilot licensing, the Ministry of Defence told the National Assembly. The information was shared in a written response during the latest Question Hour.
The action was taken under the Civil Aviation Rules, 1994. The government’s response comes after concerns over fake or improperly obtained pilot licences had raised questions about Pakistan’s aviation safety system.
The licensing issue also had a major impact on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The United Kingdom, European Union and United States had restricted PIA’s international operations over concerns linked to pilot licences. According to the Defence Ministry, these restrictions caused the national airline to lose around Rs200 billion between August 2020 and December 2024.
The controversy began receiving widespread attention in 2020, when authorities examined the credentials of commercial pilots across the country. A previous government report said licences had been reviewed after concerns about examination irregularities.
