Man who flies Boeing 777 possesses fake degree

Parliamentary panel was shocked to hear that the management of Pakistan International Airliners Corporation (PIA) has been allegedly patronising the brother of head coach and former Captain of Pakistan Cricket Team Waqar Younus, Faisal Younus, who has been flying Boeing 777 on a controversial degree.

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) met under Chairman Syed Khurshid Shah which examined the accounts of Aviation Division for year 2010-11.

The committee was told that in PIAC, flight operation department, brother of Waqar Younus, Faisal Younus, was appointed as a cadet pilot on a contract basis for five years on November 13, 2003. The verification of educational records of the incumbent by the management after a delay of three years revealed that both the certificates of F.Sc. and Graduation Degree are fake.

The management constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the matter. The inquiry officer after investigation recommended the dismissal of Faisal as per inquiry report dated April 16, 2010, but the management favoured him and penalized him by demotion of three years in seniority instead of dismissal from service, thereby making an irregular payment of Rs 16.20 million to him. Audit department strongly opposed the decision of PIA management at that time and stated that the case was not of demotion but it warranted dismissal from service as the incumbent’s appointment was void ab initio. It also raised a question over adequacy of internal controls over scrutiny of employees’ credentials at the time of appointments.

Secretary Civil Aviation Division, Muhammad Ali Gardezi requested the committee that he should not be sacked as PIA has spent money on his training and he has been flying Boeing 777 aircraft. He said the intermediate certificate of Faisal Younus at the time of induction in PIA was declared bogus but during the enquiry, he had submitted his genuine diploma in commerce. It was opined by legal services that the diploma is equivalent to intermediate certificate. He also admitted that PIA has sacked 260 employees for holding fake/bogus educational certificates and scrutiny of employees is under way.

Member Committee, Sardar Ashiq Hussain Gopang termed it a criminal case and recommended to register an FIR against all those who hold bogus educational certificates and those who were sacked for committing such offences.

Another Member, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, said the management should carry out a detailed investigation against those who supported him in inducting in PIA. In his ruling, chairman committee directed the PIA management to present in the next meeting the details of the case along with accused’s educational degrees for the review of the committee.

It has been reported that on December 2012, six pilots of PIA were sacked for holding fake degrees. Captain Fahim and Captain Arshad, who flew the airplanes of various prime ministers and presidents, were also among the sacked pilots. The academic qualification for cadet pilot in PIA is Intermediate. The sacked pilots had submitted their fake certificates of Matriculation and Intermediate. Captain Fahim and Captain Arshad had been discharging their duties in PIA for 18 years. The other sacked pilots included Captain Zaib, Captain Shayan, Captain Asmat and Captain Shahid Mannan.

Source: brecorder