02/07/2020 (Agence Europe) – As of 1 July, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has suspended the operations of the company Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to and from the European Union for a minimum of six months. This decision comes after an investigation by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority revealed that 260 of 860 active Pakistani pilots had not passed the pilot exams themselves: thus, 40% of the country’s pilots reportedly have fake licences. EASA stated with regret that it “no longer has confidence that Pakistan, as a State operator, can effectively ensure that operators certified in Pakistan comply at all times with the applicable requirements for crew qualification”. For the company’s part, PIA has assured that it is in contact with EASA to “allay their concerns”. (AC)