Pakistan has achieved a 75 percent score in the aviation safety domain of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The organization’s report for the year 2020 was based on assessments of aviation rules, staff training, licensing aircraft operations, probing the accidents, and navigation services.
After an audit of aviation authorities worldwide, the ICAO issued a list of 46 countries that achieved at least a 75 percent score in the aviation safety domain.
The development is vital for the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) that came under scrutiny after Aviation Minister, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, opened the pandora box of pilots’ dubious licenses.
Following a PIA plane crash in Karachi last year, the minister had made a statement regarding the 262 fake licenses, a majority of whom were later cleared.
Due to his remarks, PIA has not been allowed to operate a direct flight to the UK, US, and Europe since July last year and has consequently lost profitable routes to its competitors.
However, a lot has changed in the past year. PIA was the leading airline that helped evacuate foreigners from Afghanistan on the requests of the European Union, IMF, and the World Bank.
In July this year, the PIA also cleared the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), which is key for the resumption of flights to the EU, the UK, and the US.
However, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) still awaits an audit from the ICAO.
