After the PIA plane crash in 2020, there was a series of controversies on Pakistan’s pilots. Many deemed that the licenses of the pilots were fake and that they had no real training whatsoever. Many people thought that people were becoming pilots due to connections with people who could help them. After this controversy, PIA was banned from flying in Europe and in the UK, and many pilots were terminated after getting to know that their licenses were fake. After all that, Pakistan and CAA have hired a British company to conduct the pilot license exam.
As per the agreed contract, British company UKCI will conduct licence tests for the Pakistani pilots against six million Pounds. Note that the exam fee for the pilot’s licence and course will have to be paid in British Pounds. As expected, some people are protesting, including a local flying school. The school demanded a review of the decision saying that “The course is already very expensive and the examination fee will multiply manifolds after awarding the contract to a British company.” When asked about the full details of the contract between CAA and the British company, a CAA spokesperson declined to comment. The most likely reason why a British company is being hired is because The International Civil Aviation Organization had not allowed the CAA from conducting pilot licence exams because of the fake licence controversy following the PIA crash in 2020.