KARACHi- Two pilots and a stewardess among four former Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) staff members admitted to using fictitious degrees to land assignments and promotions. Their admissions followed years of court cases leading to their conviction by a special court.
During an audit, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) discovered the false degrees; 457 PIA staff members had been employed on false credentials. The implicated people showed regret and left their destinies to the court’s decision, Dawn said.
Pakistan Airlines Pilots and Crew Fake Degrees
The affair started with an audit in PIA in 2022 revealing extensive abuse of fictitious academic degrees.
Among those linked were people in important roles, such pilots and cabin staff, whose jobs demanded close adherence to professional and educational norms.
The court records highlighted four former workers’ confessions. Stewardess Nazia Naheed was sacked in 2014 after confessing to turning in a fake BA degree in 2001 in order to secure a promotion.
Likewise, co-pilot Mohsin Ali admitted to utilizing a fictitious BA degree at the time of his 2006 hire, even though the job merely called for an intermediate certificate. 2014 saw him also be let go when his credentials were checked.
Arif Tarar, another accused, advanced from a peon to a data entry operator with a fake FA degree.
The audit linked him to the continuous probes even though he retired in 2018 after 39 years of service.
Finally, pilot Kashan Aijaz Dodhy acknowledged to applying as a cadet pilot in 1995 using a fictitious BSc degree as extra qualifications, which finally resulted in his expulsion in 2019.
Legal Outcomes
Originally rejecting the accusations and seeking pre-arrest bail, the accused later decided to confess after their indictment.
Before recording their statements, Judge Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh made sure the accused were completely briefed of the consequences of their admissions.
Every person expressed regret for their deeds, pointing out personal suffering and asking forgiveness.
Nevertheless, based on their confessions, the court declared all four guilty and sentenced them “imprisonment until the rising of the court” together with fines of different levels.
The issue exposes major flaws in PIA’s hiring procedures and calls questions regarding the integrity of its activities.
Hiring unfit candidates for key positions compromises public confidence in the national carrier in addition to endangering safety.
The continuous investigations by the FIA on the 457 fictitious degree cases could produce further information that would force PIA and other institutions to change their verification policies.
The court’s decision reminds us sharply of the negative results of dishonest behavior in professional settings.