PIA air crash probe report to be presented to PM Imran today

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will be presented with the PIA air crash report today (Monday) exactly one month after flight PK-8303 met a tragic accident in Karachi. 

On May 22, flight PK-8303 crashed in Model Colony near the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, killing 97 people while two miraculously survived.

Following the crash, PM Imran and relevant authorities ordered a probe into the incident to determine why the plane had crashed. Airbus experts were called to Karachi a few days after the crash to investigate the incident.

Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan had said during a National Assembly session that he would present the report in the assembly by June 22.

Sarwar had said during a press conference as well that those who were responsible for the air crash would be held accountable after a 'transparent inquiry'.

"As an elected public representative I promise you a transparent probe and that action will be taken. The government will make this investigation public as well as all the previous investigations of aviation disasters," he had said.

CAA says PIA pilot violated landing protocol

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in a report issued on June 3 had alleged that the PIA pilot violated landing protocols.

According to the report published in The News, the pilot disregarded air traffic control's (ATC) direction to lower the altitude.

In his letter to the general manager (safety), the additional director of flight operations has stated the plane's altitude and speed were higher than the required limit for landing. The ATC had cautioned the pilot twice but he disregarded the warnings.

Deceased pilot's father says he has 'not an ounce of faith' in PIA's crash inquiry

Earlier, father of PIA pilot Captain Sajjad Gul had said he did not have "an ounce of faith" in the airline's inquiry into the tragic plane crash which left 97 dead — including his son.

Gul Muhammad Bhatti said it "pained him to say that the PIA's top hierarchy itself is leaking bits of the inquiry report and blaming people left and right for negligence".

He said that they (PIA) are "not trustworthy people" and are "not fit to conduct an inquiry".

"Those people are not professional and are not good people," he said.

"He has logged in 17,000 hours. He is the only pilot to have completed 1,000 hours in a year [...] he is a thorough professional," said the aggrieved father.

Bhatti said that he has faith, however, in the assurances given by the governor who has said he "stands with him" and in the prime minister.

He said no remarks must be made until the black box's contents come forward and he will comment "if justice is not done".