Pakistan International Airlines Pilots and Crew Used Fake Degrees for Years

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KARACHI- Four former employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), including two pilots and a stewardess, confessed to using fake degrees to secure appointments and promotions. Their admissions came after years of legal proceedings, culminating in their conviction by a special court.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) uncovered the fraudulent degrees during an audit, which revealed that 457 PIA employees had been hired based on fake qualifications. The implicated individuals expressed remorse, leaving their fates to the court’s discretion, Dawn reported.

Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Pakistan International Airlines, AP-BLZ, Airbus A320-216, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87326398

Pakistan Airlines Pilots and Crew Fake Degrees

The scandal began with an audit in 2022 that exposed widespread misuse of fake academic degrees in PIA.

Among those implicated were individuals in critical positions, such as pilots and cabin crew, whose roles required strict compliance with educational and professional standards.

The court documents highlighted the confessions of four former employees. Stewardess Nazia Naheed admitted to submitting a forged BA degree in 2001 to secure a promotion, which led to her termination in 2014.

Similarly, co-pilot Mohsin Ali confessed to using a fake BA degree at the time of his 2006 appointment, despite the job requiring only an intermediate qualification. He too faced termination in 2014 following verification of his credentials.

Another accused, Arif Tarar, used a fraudulent FA degree to advance from a peon to a data entry operator.

Despite retiring in 2018 after 39 years of service, the audit implicated him in the ongoing investigations.

Lastly, pilot Kashan Aijaz Dodhy admitted to using a fake BSc degree for additional qualifications when applying as a cadet pilot in 1995, eventually leading to his dismissal in 2019.

Photo: PIA 77-200LR | Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-20… | Flickr

Legal Outcomes

The accused initially denied the allegations and sought pre-arrest bail, but later chose to confess after their indictment.

Judge Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh ensured the accused were fully informed about the implications of their confessions before recording their statements.

Each individual expressed regret for their actions, citing personal hardships and requesting leniency.

Nonetheless, the court found all four guilty based on their confessions and imposed a sentence of “imprisonment till the rising of the court” along with fines of varying amounts.

The scandal underscores significant lapses in PIA’s recruitment processes and raises concerns about the integrity of its operations.

Hiring unqualified personnel in critical roles not only jeopardizes safety but also undermines public trust in the national carrier.

The FIA’s ongoing investigations into the 457 fake degree cases may lead to further revelations, prompting PIA and other organizations to adopt stricter verification procedures.

The court’s verdict serves as a stern reminder of the consequences of fraudulent practices in professional environments.

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