KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) reportedly compromised air safety rules when it allowed a pilot to operate a long-haul flight without mandatory rest, as prescribed by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Sources said that senior pilot Amir Hashmi, who is also president of the Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association, operated PIA’s Lahore-Toronto flight PK 789 at 7.30am on September 9 after taking less than 12 hours of rest in Lahore.
According to rules of the aviation regulator, pilots must take rest of at least 24 hours in the city from where they operate long-haul flights so that they are fully acclimatised and fresh.
The sources said that Hashmi was scheduled to fly from Karachi to Lahore by PK 304 on September 7, arrive in Lahore at around 5pm and had to take a rest of 34 hours before operating the Toronto-bound flight.
But, he did not take the schedule flight and instead reached Lahore at 8.45pm on September 8 through a Shaheen Air flight.
The sources said that by not taking the mandatory rest of 24 hours before the Toronto-bound flight Hashmi had violated CAA rules and put lives of hundreds of passengers at risk.
A spokesperson for PIA said he could not confirm whether Hashmi had taken the mandatory rest or not for the September 9 Toronto-bound flight.
However, he added, the airline would look into the matter if a complaint was registered.
When contacted, Hashmi refused to comment on the matter. INTERNEWS
