***More Than 260 Pilots Have Fake Pilot Certificates

Pakistan recently grounded pilots after finding many had falsified their qualifications

US aviation regulators, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have downgraded Pakistan’s air safety rating over concerns about pilot certifications.

An official notice posted on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shows that Pakistan now has a Category 2 rating and does not meet international standards.

Pakistan has a chequered past and a disproportionally high number of aviation accidents.

Last month the country grounded around 30% of its pilots after finding many had falsified their qualifications.

More than 260 airline pilots had fake certificates and had not taken the government’s qualification exams, according to Pakistan.

The move came after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight crashed in May, killing 97 people.

According to preliminary reports on the crash, the plane had landed without detracting its landing gear. The pilots had reportedly been distracted discussing Covid-19.

US authorities have banned PIA from conducting charter flights to the country while the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has banned PIA from flying over the bloc for six months.

Wole Shadare