KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has once again frozen the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) accounts over non-payment of dues.
The development has disturbed the schedule of the flights of the national flag carrier. A PIA spokesperson confirmed the news, saying contacts with the FBR at the government level continued for the restoration of accounts.
He said despite the closure of accounts, the airline continues its flight operations. The PIA owes over Rs2 billion on account of taxes for the past several months to the government. The national flag carrier’s 53 accounts were frozen in 2022 also over non-payment of dues, which were later restored on assurance of early payments.
According to local media reports, Pakistan State Oil has also refused to supply fuel to the airline, following which the schedule of its three flights was disturbed.
Meanwhile, PIA has published a tender notice for hiring services of a “well-reputed” cargo handling agent for handling its flights in Paris, raising hopes about the return of the national flag carrier to the European Union.
The PIA administration has started making preparations to restart its flight operations at different destinations of the EU, beginning with France, local media reported.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on January 22 refused to lift a ban on the PIA to travel to European countries and the UK after an online audit conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
