The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to submit final inquiry report on Havelian plane crash incident in the first week of April. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) ATR jet PK-661 was crashed near Havelian on December 7 in 2016, killing all 47 people on board, including a religious preacher Junaid Jamshed as well as senior local officials and three foreigners.
It has been emerged that inquiry into ‘what caused the fatal incident’ could not be completed even after 26 months. As the inquiry is underway, the authority has sought more time to finish it. The CAA said some of the parts of the plane were French made and some were American made, therefore it was taking time to conclude the inquiry.
The probe committee had sought another eight months to complete the inquiry report. Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC held hearing on the case, which has been adjourned till first week of April. Shahida Mansoor, mother of the pilot, who lost his life in the plane crash, had already pleaded to the court for establishment of judicial commission.The Safety Investigation Board (SIB) of Pakistan tasked to probe into the plane crash incident had compiled a preliminary report in January, pointing to a maintenance lapse as the possible cause of the incident.
Published in Daily Times, February 8th 2019.
