Over 1,500 Pakistani Pilots Jobless; Airlines Employ 150 Foreigners

ISLAMABAD: More than 1,500 Pakistani pilots are reportedly unemployed, while over 150 foreign pilots are working for local airlines, prompting the Aircraft Owners and Operators Association (AOA) Pakistan to call for a review of regulations governing the recruitment of foreign pilots.

In a letter sent to the Secretary of Defence on October 29, AOA founder Imran Aslam Khan urged the government to intervene through the Aviation Division and introduce measures to prioritise the employment and training of Pakistani pilots.

The association expressed concern that hiring foreign pilots was reducing job opportunities for qualified local aviators and putting additional pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves. It also alleged that foreign pilots employed by local airlines were receiving tax-free salaries.

Khan named several Pakistani airlines in the letter, alleging that they were relying on foreign pilots instead of investing in the training of local pilots and helping them obtain type ratings for specific aircraft.

The association also questioned the reported extension of work permits for foreign pilots from six months, with a possible additional six-month extension, to as long as three years.

It called on the government to reconsider and reverse regulatory changes concerning foreign pilots, strengthen oversight to prevent possible misuse of crew replacement arrangements, and require local airlines to recruit and train qualified Pakistani pilots.

The association further argued that continued reliance on foreign crew, despite the availability of trained Pakistani aviators, could undermine the development of the country’s aviation industry.

Clarifying the regulatory framework, AOA said the validation of foreign pilots’ licences and the temporary operation of foreign-registered aircraft under wet-lease arrangements were two separate matters.

Under Civil Aviation Authority rules cited by the association, foreign-registered aircraft acquired through wet-lease arrangements may initially be allowed to operate in Pakistan for 120 days, with an extension taking the maximum period to 180 days.