Islam Times - Pakistan's airline cargo services to EU suspended on security issue

Islam Times - The British authorities have imposed a temporary ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cargo service, thus forcing the national carrier to suspend delivery of goods to the entire European Union.

The ban was unexpected especially since the British Transportation Department ‘validated’ the airline’s operations just last month, a PIA spokesperson noted.

“We are contesting their decision. Our officials met British counterparts in London Monday to try and figure out what has happened,” PIA spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar said.

After last month validation, another team of English experts was supposed to visit Pakistan to give the final nod of approval to the airline. Instead, a decision to stop the airline’s cargo service was taken.

As per EU protocols, the assessment of British officials will be accepted by all the members of European Union.

The temporary ban follows a deadly attack on Karachi airport and another aircraft coming under attack while landing at Peshawar airport. PIA officials claim that it was strange that no such restriction has been imposed on other private airlines operating out of Pakistan.

A delegation of PIA officials led by Director Flight Operations, Salman Azhar, are now expected to take up the issue with officials in England on July 31.

PIA does not have any dedicated cargo plane, but it uses Boeing-777 and Airbus-310 aircrafts to haul cargo overseas.

The official stressed, “the airlines’ has a cargo business to EU of around Rs2 billion.”