RAWALPINDI: The European Commission has decided to retain the ban on Pakistan International Airlines operations in its member countries and asked the country’s aviation authorities to remove safety deficiencies and improve the whole process of issuing licences to commercial pilots.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had suspended the authorisation for the PIA to operate in European Union member countries for six months in July 2020.

The EASA ban was soon followed by similar action by the UK and US aviation authorities, crippling the PIA which was already suffering in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis. The EU had also put Pakistan on notice showing concern over the issue of pilots’ licences citing the aviation minister’s speech on the floor of parliament that one third of Pakistani pilots had suspicious licences.

The EU Air Safety Committee (ASC) met on November 17 and 18 in Brussels to update the list of airlines whose operations had been banned by the European Commission.

Spokesperson says national flag carrier has been working hard to comply with EASA observations

Following the unanimous opinion of the ASC, the European Commission formally adopted on Thursday a regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 474/2006 of March 22, 2006, establishing the list of air carriers, which are subject to an operating ban within the EU.

A copy of the list may be accessed at the following website: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/safety/air-ban/index_en.html

A letter sent to former secretary of aviation Hasan Nasir Jamy said the situation of the air carriers certified in Pakistan was examined during the ASC meeting. An excerpt of the regulation with the recitals pertaining to Pakistan was attached with the letter.

The European Commission reported to the ASC about the technical meetings held on July 9 and 25 September 25 and the numerous correspondences received between the end of June and November from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).

The EU said that the ASC deliberations confirmed a continued concern over the measures taken by the PCAA in terms of a proper root cause analysis and suitable corrective measures to prevent re-occurrence of the same or similar safety deficiencies.

According to the EU, concern persists about PCAA safety deficiencies, not only on the pilot licencing areas but on the whole licencing and authorisation processes, application and oversight of safety management systems and the establishment of the occurrence reporting system, among others.

It said it had also been recognised that the PCAA was making significant efforts to put in place and enforce some corrective measures to address the identified safety situation in Pakistan.

The European Commission and the ASC have noted the willingness of the PCAA to react to the case of the fraudulent licenses, and also appreciated its transparency and openness in recognising the deficiencies.

“In view of this, it has been decided not to make any changes to the list of air carriers subject to an operating ban with respect to air carriers certified in Pakistan,” the EASA said.

It urged the PCAA to maintain regular contact with the European Commission to keep it informed of the further actions to respond to and deal with the safety concerns.

The former aviation secretary was also informed that the European Commission would continue its monitoring and assessment of how the situation developed further, and this might include a visit to Pakistan when travel conditions would permit it.

The letter said the European Commission would remain committed to working closely with the PCAA to solve in a sustainable manner the identified safety issues with a view to achieving common objective of a safe international aviation system, while at the same time ensuring that any current safety risks were adequately contained.

On the other hand, European Union Aviation Safety Agency, in its letter to PIA Corporation Limited, said the agency had reviewed the material provided by the PIA regarding safety management system and found it satisfactory and sufficient as a fist important step.

The EASA said it would conduct an audit of the third country operator when it would consider the lifting of a suspension of PIA operations when the conditions were met. However, the conditions have not been met yet.

The EASA said in particular the investigation conducted by European Commission on the issuance of professional licenses was still ongoing which indicated that there was a possibility the audit would not have the expected positive results.

Commenting on the EC ban on air carriers certified in Pakistan, the PIA spokesman said that PIA had been working hard to comply with EASA observations as these were unprecedented times.

He said in routine things were taken differently but with added pressure of a ban, synergistic efforts were being made to adhere to the minutest of details.

He said: “Now we are eagerly awaiting regulatory compliance so that we could resume our flights to one of our most productive sectors.”

PIA closes offices

The PIA has closed its all offices in interior of Sindh that had no clients travelling across the country.

PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said that the bulk of PIA operations was shifting to the northern areas, Islamabad and Lahore with most of PIA flights now originating from there and adjoining areas such as Peshawer, Swat, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsada, Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan and Jhelum belt, Kharian and Sialkot belt. Hence the major required staff is to be placed in Islamabad.

He said that there was no point in retaining a large work force in Karachi.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2020

Regional bloc says it has raised the issue directly with Chinese vice-foreign minister

The European Union has blasted China over an “irresponsible, insensitive” tweet about Australian military personnel as the regional bloc revealed it has raised the issue directly with a Chinese vice-foreign minister.

A senior EU official told the Guardian the EU regretted the recent deterioration in ties between China and Australia – which has seen Beijing take a series of trade actions against Australian exports – and called on the two sides to “re-engage in dialogue, avoid escalation and unilateral pressure”.

Japan’s embassy in Canberra also reiterated on Friday that “trade should never be used as a tool to apply political pressure”, and Japan would “duly consider how to exercise our third party rights if Australia proceeds with their case” at the World Trade Organization against China’s barley tariffs.

The statements from the EU and Japan come after the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, France and New Zealand criticised the actions of a Chinese foreign ministry official official in tweeting a digitally created image depicting an Australian soldier cutting the throat of a child in Afghanistan.

“We consider the deliberate dissemination of a fabricated image via social media accounts affiliated with China’s ministry of foreign affairs to be irresponsible, insensitive and not at all constructive, particularly given the subject in question,” Nabila Massrali, the EU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, told the Guardian on Friday.

“Such behaviour and use of information tools to disseminate fabricated images or information cannot be justified.”

Massrali said the Australian government had conducted an investigation into claims of serious misconduct by Australian military personnel in Afghanistan, and was taking action to address its findings.

Massrali said the EU had raised the issue during its political dialogue with China on Tuesday. Those talks occurred between a deputy secretary general of the European External Action Service and a Chinese vice-foreign minister.

Australian government ministers have been unable to secure talks with their Chinese government counterparts since earlier this year, when Beijing objected to Canberra’s early forthright calls for a global Covid-19 inquiry.

Chinese authorities have taken a series of actions against Australian export sectors, including barley and wine, which have been hit with tariffs. The Australian government has said it will not succumb to economic pressure but has stepped up its public calls for “open and regular” high-level dialogue with Beijing.

Relations with China were discussed during the recent virtual meeting between EU leaders and Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, on 26 November.

“More broadly, we are following developments closely and regret the recent deterioration in China/Australia relations,” Massrali said. “We hope that China and Australia can re-engage in dialogue, avoid escalation and unilateral pressure.”

Earlier this week, when Morrison demanded an apology from the Chinese government over the tweet by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, Morrison said the dispute was broader than just the two countries, and that other nations were watching.

But China’s deputy head of mission in Australia, Wang Xining, said Morrison’s elevation of the tweet issue had the the side-effect of increasing attention of the war crimes allegations detailed in the Brereton report.

“People wonder why a national leader would have such a strong opinion to an artwork by a normal young artist in China,” Wang told the ABC in a brief interview on Friday.

Wang also argued the list provided by the Chinese embassy to the media last month – which had been characterised as a list of 14 grievances – was not a definitive list of demands for Australia, but “just some examples of what we disagree with”.

His comments came after the Morrison government insisted the items on the list were non-negotiable because they went to matters of Australia’s sovereignty. The list included the government’s criticism of China over human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and its blocking of Chinese investment proposals.

Wang also rejected claims of a coordinated trade campaign “targeting” Australian goods, and he pointed to Australia’s own anti-dumping actions against a number of Chinese products.

He was speaking to the ABC after attending a speech by Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, who stressed that Australia would be “true to our values” and respect rules and norms that had stood the test of time.

Payne told the foreign diplomatic corps in Canberra on Friday that Australia would not be “a bystander” in seeking to shape an Indo-Pacific region that was prosperous, resilient and inclusive. She said reforms to the rules-based order should be done through negotiation not the exercise of power.

China maintains it is up to Australia to take steps to foster a more conducive atmosphere for dialogue between the two countries.

In Canberra the attorney general, Christian Porter, said while the relationship “requires improvement” there was nothing in particular in recent times that Australia would have done any differently.

Citing Morrison’s statements that Australia did not want to contain China economically, Porter argued the foundations for better ties were in place but patience was needed.

Australia and China have been at odds over a number of issues over the past few years, including the Turnbull government’s decision to exclude Chinese telcos Huawei and ZTE from Australia’s 5G network and its introduction of foreign interference laws that were seen as targeting China’s activities.

But the relationship deteriorated sharply in April when the Morrison government issued an early call for an independent international inquiry into the origin and handling of Covid-19 and floated the idea of international weapons inspector-style powers for pandemic investigations.

At a regular media conference late on Thursday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman raised concerns about cooperation between Australia and the US to develop and test hypersonic missiles, arguing it could contribute to a regional arms race.

“We don’t intend to make Australia our target,” the spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said. “China urges Australia to review its security interest needs in an objective manner, enhance trust between regional countries, and contribute to regional security and stability instead of doing the opposite.”

Head of the Algerian Movement of Society for Peace Abderrazak Makri has accused the European Parliament of attempting to blackmail his country by issuing a resolution on the human rights situation in Algeria.

This came in statements made by Makri on Wednesday, during a press conference at the headquarters of the movement (the largest Islamic party in the country) in Algiers. Makri commented at the press conference on a resolution issued by the European Parliament on Thursday, condemning the human rights status in Algeria.

“Those who stand behind this resolution want to blackmail our country… In order to subjugate Algeria to the Western camp, impose tutelage and neo-colonialism on us, and solve their economic problems at the expense of Algeria,” expressed Makri.

He added: “In their resolution, they [European Parliament representatives] relied on reports of Algerian feminist associations that do not exist on the ground and are only present in the capital… They are utilising the opinions of feminist associations that have no real connection with Algerian society.”

“They have brazenly and boldly instructed the ruling regime in Algeria to change the family law because it preserves the foundations of society and limits freedoms,” he continued.

READ: Algeria’s football federation condemns player’s exposure to racism in Germany 

According to Makri, the European Parliament resolution was “selective” in defending activists who are being harassed by the authorities, as some were defended. In contrast, others were ignored such as the Islamist opposition leader, Ali Benhadj.

On Thursday, the European Parliament approved a resolution criticising the human rights situation in Algeria, describing it as “concerning”.

The European Parliament resolution sparked a wave of anger in Algeria, with the Algerian Foreign Ministry describing it as “an insult” and a denotation of guardianship that dates back to the colonial era.

Algeria’s Foreign Ministry stressed that: “No European institution can interfere in this insolent and unacceptable way in Algeria’s internal affairs,” while warning that this resolution might “harm the relations of Algeria and its European partners.”

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