KARACHI: Captain Muhammad Irfan Saleem Hashmi has filed a writ petition in Lahore High Court challenging the impugned advertisement for the post of Additional Director Flight Standards (General Aviation) dated 30.01.22, as illegal & unlawful in the eyes of law.

Nabeel Javed Kahloon, Advocate for the petitioner requested the court to suspend the operation of the impugned advertisement for the post of Additional Director Flight Standards (General Aviation) till the final outcome of the main writ petition. And a direction may be issued to the respondents to issue fresh advertisement as per the rules and regulations narrated in the ANO & Civil Aviation rules 1994.

He said the impugned advertisement is issued with malafide intentions in order to induct some blue-eyed person against the said advertised post, whereas it is against the basic law of the land, that it is totally published on the basis of discrimination among other Pilot community. The qualification required in the impugned advertisement related to the flying instructor from a recognized flying training institute (Civil/ Military), is also in grave violation of the Civil Aviation rules 1994 along with the Civil Aviation Ordinance 1982. The bare reading of the section 1 sub-clause 3 clearly indicates that these rules shall apply to flight operations within Pakistan by aircrafts other than military aircraft, hence adding qualification in the impugned advertisement with the additional word of Military, the respondent did the grave violation of the Civil Aviation Rules 1994.

According to details the Director of Human Resource Management, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority issued an impugned advertisement for the post of Additional Director (General Aviation) (EG-07), published on 30.01.22. Through a corrigendum, he amended the qualifications criteria for the post of Additional Director (General Aviation) and re-issued the impugned advertisement. He amended the qualification in the corrigendum by adding valid CPL + ATPL (Frozen licenses) in the impugned advertisement, without any lawful justification, without considering the fact, that majority of the Aviation experienced pilots and crew are intermediate, hence the impugned advertisement is itself a discriminatory in its spirit & against the majority of the aviation experience Pilots. He said the impugned advertisement issued by the respondent is in grave violation of the Air Navigation Order No. 90.0011 (Advance Licenses & Certificates- Aircrew) Advanced Licences and Ratings – Air Crew (CPL, ATPL, IR) issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. The PCAA is a member state of the International Civil Aviation Organization. While nearly all 44 civilian airports in Pakistan are owned and operated by the PCAA. It was transformed into Regulatory Division, Airports & Operations Division & Support Division.

The PCAA not only plays the role of aviation regulator but at the same time performs the service provider functions of air navigation services and airport services. The core functions of PCAA are, therefore, 'Regulatory', 'Air Navigation Services' and 'Airport Services'. These core functions are fully supported by various corporate functions of the organization.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 06 2022

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