Islamabad – Staff Reporter:
Malaysian authorities on Friday seized a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing-777 at the Kuala Lumpur Airport.
The PIA plane was seized on the orders of a local Malaysian court over the non-payment of aircraft lease dues, sources disclosed.
PIA had leased two aircraft, including the Boeing-777, from a Vietnamese company in 2015.
The plane was seized after passengers had already boarded the aircraft. The aircraft’s 18-member staff also become stranded in Kuala Lumpur due to the seizure, and will now quarantine for 14 days as per protocols, the sources said.
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane was held back in Malaysia as part of a legal dispute between the airline and another party, the national flag carrier said on Friday.
In a statement posted on Twitter, the airline said: “A PIA aircraft has been held back by a local court in Malaysia taking a 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 finalised,” the statement said.
“It is an unacceptable situation and PIA has engaged support from the government of Pakistan to take up this matter using diplomatic channels.”
The airline’s spokesperson has not yet responded to a request by Dawn.com for details of the dispute.
