Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is a public sector autonomous body working under the Federal Government of Pakistan through Aviation Division Cabinet Secretariat. CAA was established on 7th December, 1982 through Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority ordinance 1982. Prior to creation of CAA, a Civil Aviation Department (CAD) in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) used to manage the Civil Aviation related activities. Ministry of Defence (MoD) continued to be the controlling Ministry even after creation of CAA on 7th December, 1982. However, in June, 2013, Government of Pakistan assigned this responsibility to Cabinet Secretariat (Aviation Division).
The purpose of establishing CAA is to provide for the promotion and regulations of Civil Aviation activities and to develop an infrastructure for safe, efficient, adequate, economical and properly coordinated Civil Air Transport Service in Pakistan.