KARACHI: The scope of inquiry into the overloading of passengers on a Saudi Arabia-bound flight earlier this year has been broadened, which is why it is taking longer than the prescribed time, the Pakistan International Airlines chief said on Thursday.
While responding to queries following a briefing to
journalists, the PIA’s acting CEO Nayyar Hayat said the PIA had
initially conducted an internal inquiry but the pilot of the aircraft
had continued to insist that there were no excess passengers on the
plane.
Mr Hayat added that they had decided then to
expand the inquiry and gather information from various relevant quarters
in order to establish the truth of the matter. This was why the inquiry
was taking so long, he said.
Since the pilot did not
accept the charge that he had flown passengers in excess of the aircraft
configuration, they had to cross-check facts, he said.
The matter was further complicated by the fact that the
alleged violation had taken place on an international flight; collecting
information from the immigration authorities of Pakistan and Saudi
Arabia was taking some time.
The PIA chief conceded that
Anwer Adil, who had piloted the flight, had been performing flight
duties since the incident and was recently grounded as his presence was
required in the inquiry proceedings.
He added that Hina
Turab, the senior purser on the flight, had been taken off flight duties
in March, but has since resumed her duties.
He rejected
the allegation that PIA was trying to delay the inquiry in the hope that
people would forget about it, and insisted that stern action would be
taken against those found guilty. PIA prioritised air safety, insisted
Mr Hayat.
On January 20, Flight PK-743 from Karachi to
Madina took on seven passengers over the aircraft configuration. The
airline had initially kept mum on the scandal but then ordered an
inquiry after media highlighted the case.
The inquiry
was ordered on March 10 — approximately a month and 20 days after the
incident — and its members were supposed to submit their report within
10 days. The report is now overdue, and according to the PIA chief, the
inquiry is yet to be completed.
Sources said that the
airhostess who had reported the irregularity had been taken off flight
duty instantly, while the pilot, who is also in litigation with the
management over his educational degree, was grounded a few days ago.
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