Foreign pilot hiring drains $2.25m monthly, AOOA warns

The Aircraft Owners and Operators Association of Pakistan has asked the government to undo a rule change that lets domestic airlines hire foreign pilots for as long as three years. In a letter to the Aviation Division, AOOA founder Imran Aslam Khan said about 1,500 Pakistani pilots lacked jobs while local carriers employed over 150 pilots from abroad.

The association says foreign pilots receive tax-free pay of up to $15,000 a month, taking more than $2.25 million in foreign exchange out of the country monthly, or roughly Rs623.25m. It also alleges that Airblue, Fly Jinnah and AirSial depend heavily on foreign crews, and argues that hiring and training local aviators would cost less over time.

AOOA says the earlier rules limited foreign pilots on wet-leased aircraft to an initial six months, with one additional six-month period, while the amended limit is three years. It wants the authorities to review the change, strengthen checks against crew rotation and make local recruitment and training a priority.