The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has apprehended an individual who allegedly used a fake degree during his 17-year tenure at Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The man, identified as Rauf Sohail, was hired as a cargo assistant but lost his job in 2020 when the fraudulent documents were discovered.
According to an FIA spokesperson, the arrest came after PIA requested action against Sohail, leading to the cancellation of his bail. Sohail had managed to maintain his employment at PIA for nearly two decades before the fake credentials came to light.
The FIA spokesperson also confirmed that an investigation is underway to uncover more details about the case.
It should be recalled that the national flag carrier faced global embarrassment after dozens of its employees were found to be holding fake degrees. In 2020, more than one hundred pilots were grounded over claims that they did not hold valid licenses.
The aviation minister at that time told the national assembly that several commercial pilots held fake licenses or cheated in exams. The revelation came after an initial report into a PIA crash that killed 97 people found the cause to be human error by the pilot and air traffic control.
