Pakistan
Pakistan: FBR freezes PIA accounts over non-payment of taxes
Islamabad: All bank accounts of Pakistan national carrier Pakistan International Airline (PIA) have been frozen by the country's Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) over non-payment of taxes, media reports said.
In recent years, mismanagement of funds, a rise in operating costs, and a surge in fuel prices have led to financial difficulties for the national carrier, reports Geo News.
The PIA has also faced scrutiny over its compliance with international safety standards, leading to temporary bans and restrictions on Pakistani airlines in various countries.
The national flag carrier, in response, claimed that its flights continued uninterrupted despite the tax bureau freezing its accounts.
Sources told Geo News otherwise, saying that several domestic and international flights were either cancelled or faced delays.
The sources in the FBR said the PIA had not despited Federal Excise Duty worth Rs4 billion, which it had collected through plane tickers.
Once all the bank accounts were frozen, PIA faced difficulty paying for its planes' fuel as the sources said that the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) had refused to supply the same.
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