ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has opened criminal investigations into 50 pilots and at least five civil aviation officials who allegedly helped them falsify credentials to secure licenses, according to two senior government sources and cabinet meeting minutes seen by Reuters.
The probes come roughly three months after Pakistan grounded dozens of pilots over allegedly dubious qualifications. At the time, the civil aviation regulator said it would conduct a detailed investigation into the scandal.
On the government's orders, Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched criminal probes into the matter, according to minutes from Tuesday's cabinet meeting and the sources, who declined to be named because the discussions are private.
A show-cause notice served to one of the pilots and seen by Reuters said the FIA was investigating "alleged corruption, violations, malpractices in (the) issuance of flight crew licenses."
Munir Ahmed Shaikh, a senior FIA official, confirmed that a probe into the matter was ongoing, but declined to comment any further. The civil aviation ministry declined to comment until the government makes the matter public.
The ministry submitted the findings of its inquiry to the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday, said the sources, adding that another 32 pilots have separately been suspended for a year.
"The cabinet was told that FIA has opened proceedings into the pilots whose licenses were revoked, and the civil aviation officials who connived with them," said the minutes from the meeting seen by Reuters.
The pilot scandal has tainted Pakistan's aviation industry and especially flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which has been barred from flying to Europe and the United States after dozens of its pilots were named in the initial list of 262 with allegedly "dubious" licenses.
That list had been made public after an initial probe into a PIA plane crash in Karachi in May found that the pilots did not follow standard procedures and disregarded alarms.
The initial list sparked controversy however, as PIA and the local pilots association noted that many of the pilots named had long since retired and some were even deceased.
Reuters was unable to establish whether the remaining 180 pilots on the initial list were still under investigation or if they had been cleared of any wrongdoing.
A spokesman for PALPA, the local pilots' association, said it had no clarity on the status of the probe. A spokesman for PIA said the airline was awaiting details.
Pakistan opens criminal probes into 50 pilots, 5 civil aviation officials — sources
https://arab.news/nktkf
Pakistan opens criminal probes into 50 pilots, 5 civil aviation officials — sources
- Probes come roughly three months after Pakistan grounded dozens of pilots over allegedly dubious qualifications
- A show-cause notice served to one of the pilots said the FIA was investigating 'alleged corruption, violations, malpractices in (the) issuance of flight crew licenses'
Pakistani, Chinese firms sign 79 MoUs worth $4.5 billion at Islamabad agriculture summit — minister
- The summit saw participation from over 300 Pakistani, Chinese firms focusing on modern agricultural techniques and solutions
- Food security minister says these investments will modernize Pakistan’s agricultural value chains and enhance productivity
KARACHI: The Pakistan–China Agriculture Investment Conference in Islamabad has resulted in 79 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between Pakistani and Chinese companies with an approximate investment value of $4.5 billion, Pakistani Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said on Tuesday, signaling confidence of Chinese investors in Pakistan’s agriculture and food sectors.
At least 119 Chinese companies and over 191 Pakistani firms participated in the event held on Monday, focusing on fertilizers, seed varieties, machinery, precision farming and smart irrigation systems, according to the organizers.
The conference was billed by Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research as a platform for deepening bilateral agricultural ties and supporting broader economic engagement between the two countries.
Hussain said the scale and depth of investment commitments at the conference reflected a decisive shift from dialogue to on-ground, investment-led collaboration between the two countries.
“The conference was specifically structured to deliver tangible outcomes through direct B2B (business to business) matchmaking, targeted sectoral engagement and project-based investment facilitation, rather than conventional discussions,” he was quoted as saying by his ministry.
Pakistan and China have been expanding cooperation in agriculture under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework, with a focus on mechanization, high-yield seeds, livestock development and value-added food processing. Officials say stronger agricultural ties could help Pakistan boost exports, ensure food security and create jobs, while offering Chinese companies access to a large farming market and new investment opportunities.
Pakistan’s exports to China reached approximately $2.38 billion in Fiscal Year 2024–25 that ended in June, while imports stood at $16.3 billion, reflecting growing demand on both sides despite global economic headwinds, according to the minister.
The food security ministry undertook extensive preparatory work prior to the conference, including structured engagements with Pakistani industry bodies and Chinese enterprises, to align investment proposals with market demand, technology requirements and national priorities, according to Hussain.
As a result, investment agreements were concluded across ten high-impact agricultural and allied sub-sectors, including food processing and value addition, agri-technology, seeds and plant protection, livestock and dairy, meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, fisheries and aquaculture, animal feed, post-harvest infrastructure, and agricultural inputs.
“These investments will modernize Pakistan’s agricultural value chains, introduce advanced production and processing technologies, and significantly enhance productivity,” the minister said.
“The inflow of capital and technology is expected to generate large-scale employment, particularly in rural areas, strengthen farm-to-market linkages, and reduce post-harvest losses, thereby improving farmer incomes and rural livelihoods.”
