The Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced plans to “export” trained Pakistani pilots to international airlines.
DG CAA, Nadir Shafi Dar, stated that there is a significant shortage of cockpit pilots in the region, and the CAA has already initiated work on this matter. He explained that while Pakistan’s aviation industry is producing enough pilots to meet local airline demands, surplus pilots will be made available for employment with foreign airlines.
According to Nadir Shafi Dar, two international companies have expressed interest in the project. One of these companies has already begun work on Phase 1, providing ground training. The foreign company shortlisted young candidates from Pakistan and took them to its academy in Sharjah for aircraft flight training. Eight of these trained pilots have now joined private airlines in Pakistan.
Under the new plan, the CAA has signed agreements with companies to provide training from initial cockpit lessons to commercial cockpit operations. As part of these agreements, companies will first provide training and then facilitate the pilots in joining commercial airlines. Efforts are also underway to establish training academies in Pakistan, and the CAA plans to offer financial assistance to aspiring pilots. Local flying clubs have been encouraged to enhance their capabilities to support this initiative, which is expected to boost the country’s aviation industry.
The DG further noted that training a new pilot, including completing the required initial flying hours, costs approximately 10 to 15 million PKR.