The Airport Security Force (ASF) Karachi allegedly violated the rules in the procurement of weapons worth Rs. 2.43 billion, according to the Aviation Divisions Audit Report of 2017-18.
The meeting of PAC, which was chaired by Noor Alam Khan, was informed by audit officials that the ASF purchased pistols, SMGs and other weapons. The PAC directed to conduct an inquiry in this regard within a week and fix responsibility. It further asked authorities to file FIRs against the officials involved in the matter.
The audit report further revealed that 350 iPads were rented by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) during 2016, causing a loss of Rs. 99 million to the national exchequer. The committee was apprised that Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is probing this issue, while a case has been registered against 7 people in this regard. PAC also sought details of beneficiaries of VVIP charter flights during the last ten years from PIA.
The officials from PIA informed the committee that currently, 12 Boeing 777 planes are grounded, while there are two more aircraft that are grounded for a longer period of time. The officials said that Roosevelt Hotel, owned by PIA, has been closed since December 2020, however, the airline hasn’t taken a decision regarding its fate yet. The land-related matters of this hotel are being discussed with the New York City administration.
PIA officials informed PAC that the European market is very important to PIA, as it accounts for 30 percent of the airline’s revenue. The officials added that flight operations to European countries are expected to resume after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) conducts an audit of the Airline.
