“Mayday…Mayday” was Captain Sajjad Gul’s last call when he was navigating the ill-fated Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A320 (flight PK-8303). The plane was nearly a minute away from landing at the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. What transpired was a tragedy for which we cannot find words to explain. The plane, already flying at a low altitude, crashed in a residential area of Model Colony, Karachi. Social media, as always, provided first-hand information. It was pandemonium. It was chaos. However, amid this crisis, there were volunteers – residents from around the crash site – the army and social activists, who had arrived on the scene. Edhi, JDC Welfare Organization along with other prominent organizations were working in unison to save the passengers and those residents whose homes were affected by the crash. There was unity in their action and commitment in their word. At such a moment of crisis, the people of Karachi and that of Pakistan have shown the unshaken resolve to stand united. However, as many did claim, the tragedy became a selling point for the electronic media. The reporters wanted a shot at the burning debris, footage of the injured and in extreme cases that of the deceased. Soon, the television channels began airing the list of passengers. They also aired clips from the crash site. At such incidents, the media must adhere to following ethical and moral rules. Showing a list of passengers on board is not wise. Those who know that their relatives or friends were traveling on the airplane would contact the helpline. Displaying the name or pictures of the injured and the deceased only aggravates the pain of the viewers. Just imagine the thoughts of those who would have been waiting for their loved ones at the airport. Those who were at their offices or homes and learned that a relative or a friend was on board this flight. This is not for the first time that the electronic media has acted foolishly just to become the first to break the news. If those at the helm of power of these electronic media channels have not learned how to break a news until now, they will forever scramble their reporters like scavengers to find breaking news at the expense of those mourning over a loss. The crash of PK-8303 is also a question mark on the comprehension, commitment, and credibility of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This is the eighteenth air crash in Pakistan’s history. It is the seventh air crash in ten years. When the nation views such news with teary eyes, one can only imagine the heart-wrenching pain the relatives and friends of the passengers would go through. The crash of PK-8303 is also a question mark on the comprehension, commitment, and credibility of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This is the eighteenth air crash in Pakistan’s history It is time that the government orders a high-level, full-fledged report into the cause of the crash. There are reports that the airplane was 15 years old and its parts needed to be changed. The maintenance of an airplane is of the highest priority for the authorities. Hundreds of lives are at stake each time an airplane takes off. The CAA must – at once – present an inquiry citing the reasons for the crash. It must bring forth those who are responsible and punish them. It is saddening to see how people, social media users, media personnel, and those from well-respected professions, so easily and without remorse, have been blaming the pilot. Captain Sajjad Gul was a veteran pilot having 24-years of experience in the airline industry. He had 17,000 hours of experience of flying planes and had flown A320 airbus for 4,700 hours. Putting the blame on the captain or anyone at this time is not wise. According to the reports, CCTV footage, and the final conversation between the pilot and the air traffic control, it seems the plane was having difficulty remaining airborne. A commission or a tribunal, true to their word and commitment, must be formed to identify the causes for the crash. This group must be true to their profession and must bring forth the reality of what caused the crash. The members from the Pakistan Airlines’ Pilots Association (Palpa) must also be a prominent part of this group. Moreover, each airport of Pakistan must have professionals who scrutinize each aircraft and decide if it should fly or not. If the news reports claim that some parts of the airplane needed to be changed, then the airplane should have been kept on the ground. Furthermore, all airports must have a ground crew ready at all times to facilitate an airplane making an emergency landing. The government must call for an immediate overhauling and restructuring of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Expert pilots and aviation experts must be given key posts to oversee the matters and decide on the strategic vision and direction of the CAA. It is necessary that professionals having ample knowledge and relevant experience from the field of aviation and working with passenger aircraft must be given such positions. Until this happens, we can only pray for the departed souls, keep their relatives and friends in our thoughts, and hope that all PIA airplanes reach their destinations safely. The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist