Pilot termination case: PIA image seriously dented, says IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday summoned Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) for assistance in a case filed by a PIA pilot challenging his termination on the charge of holding a fake license.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah, who heard the petition of the terminated pilot Syed Saqlain Akhter, asked as to why a permanent director general of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had not been appointed and directed the AGP to get instructions from the federal government in this regard.

The chief justice remarked that the termination of pilot had seriously dented the image of the national flag carrier.

To a court's query, the assistant attorney general (AAG) said the court's instructions could not be conveyed to the AGP and prayed the court to give him some time. The chief justice remarked that the CAA DG was a key post, who was authorized to issue licenses to commercial pilots.

He summoned the AGP and adjourned the case till September 23.

In his plea, the petitioner stated that he was terminated by the CAA without being heard and prayed the court to declare the notification null and void.