KARACHI: Lahore High Court (LHC) has fixed date for hearing of an Intra Court appeal filed by Muhammad Salman Azam against order issued by a single judge in favour of Investigation Board constituted for crash of PIA Airbus in Model Colony Karachi. Petitioner contends that persons appointed as Investigators were not qualified as such and could not have been so appointed. Court issued notices to respondents on January 18, 2022.

Petitioner said it is very clear from impugned notification issued by Secretary Aviation Division that none of members of Board had ever flown Aircraft of Airbus-320. Investigation Board was not competent to hold inquiry, all investigation completed by Board stands illegal and unlawful in eyes of law. Nabeel Javed Kahloon Advocate for petitioner submitted on November 6, 2021 that impugned notification issued by Secretary Aviation Division was based on a lack of knowledge of aviation rules and regulations, hence resulting in miscarriage of justice. As per Civil Aviation Rules 1994, investigation can be declared illegal, or unlawful if legal and technical requirements are not completed by federal government.

Court may suspend order of October 28, 2021 passed by single Judge in Writ Petition No.53209-2020, October 28, 2021 along with operation of impugned notification vide No.13 (1)/2020 of May 22, 2020 for constitution of special investigation board (SIB) by Secretary Aviation Division along with investigation report submitted vide No.AAIB-43 by Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, through its Chairman SIB of PK-8303 to Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority through its Director General on June 22, 2020.

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 03 2022

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