Indian conspiracy behind holding back PIA plane in Malaysia: sources

KARACHI: Indian lobby is allegedly behind a conspiracy to hold back a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane in Malaysia owing to a legal dispute with a firm regarding payment of lease amount, ARY NEWS reported quoting sources.

The sources claimed that the company from where the PIA had acquired the plane on lease is controlled by Indians, who not only owned the company but are also appointed as directors and on other key slots.

“The PIA administration is also looking into the matter with this angle,” they said adding that the issues with the firm were underway as per law and sudden act from them has raised questions over it.

The sources said that the PIA had sought relief from the company with regard to the payment of a lease amount as likewise aviation industry across the globe, the national flag carrier was also facing some financial issues owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A spokesman of the PIA while commenting on the matter said that they were only trying to save money from the national exchequer as planes were acquired during the previous tenure of the PML-N on rates higher than market value.

“Even the condition of the Boeing-777 acquired from Peregrine Aviation Co Ltd was not satisfactory,” he said adding that the plane could not be used for Europe and Britain flights owing to their condition.

The PIA was forced to used these planes in China and the Far East, he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that yesterday, a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft was “held back” in Malaysia over a legal dispute between the airline and a firm pending in a UK court.

The national flag carrier’s spokesperson in a Twitter statement said: “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.”