Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has sacked over 50 employees, including pilots and cabin crew, for holding fake degrees, Pakistani media reported on Saturday.

A statement by the country's national carrier said that the employees were fired on the instructions of the Supreme Court in a fake degree’s case. Three pilots and 50 crew staff were sacked, Geo News reported.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar had taken notice of alleged appointment of pilots holding fake qualifications in January this year.

A two-member bench headed by the Chief Justice had issued a deadline of December 28 to the Civil Aviation Authority for completing the verifications of the degrees of pilots.