262 pilots with 'dubious' credentials to be grounded: Aviation Minister.

ISLAMABAD -- Aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Friday announced that the licenses of 262 pilots are "dubious" and thus they will be barred from flying.

The pilots in the line of fire include 141 from Pakistan International Airlines, nine from Air Blue and 10 from Serene Airline, said the minister.

The rest of the 262 belong to flying clubs or chartered plane services, he said. He said all the airlines and the clubs had been conveyed that: 'Their credentials are dubious, and they shouldn't be allowed to fly.'

Khan said that a total of 753 pilots are serving in Pakistani airlines, while 107 are serving in foreign airlines bringing the number to 860.

Among the pilots, 121 pilots are suspected of faking one test result - someone else gave their exam. Forty nine are suspected of faking two, 21 of faking three, 15 of faking four, 11 of faking five, 11 of faking six, 10 of faking seven, and 34 of faking eight papers, bringing their number to 262.

"The lists of the suspected pilots have been sent to relevant authorities, including a letter and a list of 141 pilots to PIA's chief executive, instructing him to bar these men from further flying," said the minister.

He went on to say that nine out of 28 pilots have "confessed" during a probe, and their licenses will be canceled after approval from the federal cabinet as the issuing authority is CAA, but the federal government is the authority on...