17 pilots among 760 PIA employees dismissed over fake degrees so far: Sarwar

TAXILA : Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that so far 17 pilots among 760 employees have been sacked from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) over fake degrees. Talking to media persons after inspecting Labour Square in Taxila, the minister said that licences of the pilots having fake degrees were revoked. The minister said he welcomed the move of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to initiate inquiry against him and his family and added those who looted the country in the past three decades, should also be held accountable. Replying to a question, Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that Rs160 billion were disbursed through Ehsaas Cash Program and added that relief of Rs716 billion would be given to masses over electricity. Earlier in June last, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) grounded 150 pilots over claims that they may not hold a valid licence.Ghulam Sarwar Khan had told the parliament that a large number of commercial pilots hold fake licences or cheated in exams. It came as an initial report into a PIA crash that killed 97 people in Karachi found the cause to be human error by the pilot and air traffic control.