FBR freezes PIA accounts over ‘non-payment of dues’

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has frozen all bank accounts of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) over non-payment of outstanding tax dues.

According to reports, the PIA under federal excise duty had to pay Rs. 10 million to FBR, but the national carrier could not make the payments as yet. The FBR, in action, froze all the PIA accounts, prompting difficulties to the latter in payment of salaries to the employees as well as running flight operations.

Apart from payment of salaries and pensions, PIA is also struggling to acquire fuel for its jets as the national carrier is unable to pay suppliers.

The accounts were frozen and even after the passage of three days, no progress has been made. As per the reports, the talks between the PIA and the FBR also bore no fruits.

Some years ago, the FBR had frozen almost half a dozen bank accounts of the national flag carrier after PIA defaulted on Rs3.5 billion tax payments. The issue ended when PIA deposited Rs85 million and pleaded that the freezing of accounts had started affecting the airline’s operations.

Freezing of bank accounts of PIA is not something new as the airline management always drags its feet after making promises to deposit due taxes.