Malaysian authorities seize PIA plane at Kuala Lumpur airport over unpaid dues
PIA plane was taken into custody on court's order after it landed at Kuala Lumpur airport.
KUALA LUMPUR (Dunya News) – Malaysian authorities on Friday have seized Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 777 over being defaulter of lease payment.
According to details, the plane was taken into custody on court’s order at Kuala Lumpur airport with passengers on board.
It is to be mentioned here that the PIA plane was taken on lease from a Vietnamese company in 2015.
The national flag carrier’s spokesman said that the matter is under hearing at British court. We are trying to resolve the issue at government level, he assured.
A PIA spokesman said 167 passengers would fly from Malaysia for Pakistan tonight. Passengers will arrive in Pakistan directly from Dubai via a private airline, flight EK343, at 2pm on Saturday.
While the staff of PK-895 has not been quarantined in Kuala Lumpur, they are staying at a local hotel. The PIA staff members will leave for Pakistan on a second flight on Saturday afternoon.
PIA on its official Twitter account posted, “A PIA aircraft has been held back by a local court in Malaysia taking one sided decision pertaining to a legal dispute between PIA and another party pending in a UK court.
“The passengers are being looked after and alternate arrangements for their travel have been finalized.
“It is an unacceptable situation and PIA has engaged the support from Government of Pakistan to take up this matter using diplomatic channels”.
It is an unacceptable situation and PIA has engaged the support from Government of Pakistan to take up this matter using diplomatic channels
— PIA (@Official_PIA) January 15, 2021
