Daily Times

The United States (US), Following the European Union (EU), has also suspended the authorization for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate in the country over the alleged forged licences scandal.

The authority has imposed ban on PIA owing to safety concerns, as per to a declaration released by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Pakistan was reportedly advised of the United States ban by email. The ban stands for six months and is attributed to issues with pilot licenses. Also affected are the special flight licenses previously issued to PIA by the United States.

The ban by the United States and the duration aligns it with the position taken by Europe’s aviation authority. The UAE has also suspended flights from Pakistan.

In late June, PIA suspended 150 pilots over concerns about the authenticity of their licenses. In early July, the European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) suspended PIA’s authorization to operate in Europe for six months.

The license scandal is the latest in a series of blows for the airline. PIA has lost money for the last 15 years. In 2019, its liabilities stood at US$3.8 billion. In May, a PIA A320 crashed in Karachi, killing 97 people. Investigators have blamed the crash on pilot error. The validity or otherwise of the pilot’s licenses remains unconfirmed.