close
Sunday December 22, 2024

PIA issues clarification over plane being impounded in Malaysia

PIA flight PK-894 was stopped by authorities in Malaysia as soon as it reached Kuala Lumpur on court orders

By Tariq Abul Hasan
May 30, 2023
A PIA aircraft in flight. — AFP/File
A PIA aircraft in flight. — AFP/File

KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airline (PIA) said Tuesday that the Boeing-777 aircraft was held by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur due to "some wrong figures".

The PIA spokesperson said the matter was being resolved through diplomatic channels.

The flight was stopped by authorities in Malaysia as soon as it reached Kuala Lumpur.

“Boeing 777 aircraft is owned by the PIA. The engine leasing company had secured a stay on the plane by submitting incorrect data in a Malaysian court,” the spokesperson said.

He added that the leasing company claimed $4.5 billion, which was incorrect. The spokesperson mentioned that the amount owed to the leasing company by the PIA was $1.8 billion, which has been paid already.

“Cases of stopping the plane this way and extorting money are unprecedented in the world, especially when both the leasing company and PIA are not local companies in Malaysia,” the spokesperson said.

After this development, according to the spokesperson, the national airline approached the court through its lawyers in Malaysia, where the matter is currently being heard.