Restless PIA pilot violates safety rules, operates without adequate rest
A senior pilot of Pakistan's national carrier PIA exposed hundreds of lives to danger by operating a long-haul flight without taking adequate rest, compromising air safety and violating aviation laws, according to a media report. Sadiq Rehman, former Vice President of the Pakistan Air Lines Pilots Association (PALPA), violated aviation laws by not taking the 24-hour mandatory rest before operating a Toronto-bound flight on July 4, Dawn reported.
PIA spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar conceded that the pilot did not take the mandatory rest before operating the long duration flight on July 4, the report said. The PIA had scheduled Rehman to arrive in Lahore on July 2 evening, rest on July 3 and then go ahead to operate the flight to Canada, it said.Rehman did not follow the schedule. He stayed in Karachi on July 2 and left for Lahore on July 3 evening along with 30kgs of luggage in two suitcases and then operated the Toronto-bound flight on July 4 morning, without completing the 24hr mandatory rest.