Fuel supply to PIA suspended in Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD – The fuel supply to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes was suspended briefly at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, it emerged on Tuesday.

The fuel supply to the PIA planes was suspended in Makkah and Madinah due to non-payment of dues, well-placed sources confided.

Due to the suspension, the PIA flights were delayed for three to four hours at Makkah and Madinah airports, creating agony and pain for the flyers.

Reacting to the news, a PIA spokesperson confirmed the development but hastened to add that swift payments were made to the concerned oil companies.

The spokesperson added that the fuel supply was temporarily suspended due to a delay in the transfer of funds to the oil firms’ accounts but said the supply would be resumed after the completion of the transactions, ARY News reported.

The national flag carrier had already suffered a huge financial loss due to a days-long halt in fuel supply at the national level in Pakistan in October after the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) rejected to continue supplies due to non-payment of dues.

In October, Pakistan International Airlines had suffered loss worth billions, and recently over 300 flights were cancelled for domestic and international routes combined.

At the domestic level, the fuel supply was resumed after an agreement between Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was reached.

With each passing day, the national carrier suffers new challenges ranging from fuel supply suspension to the licenses of the pilots to the freezing of accounts by the Federal Board of Revenue.

The federal government has also decided to privatise the national carrier due to the same losses which have turned the airline into a liability than an asset.

The airline which can be termed a white elephant now would be privatised soon ass a consultant has also been hired in this regard as confirmed by the privatisation minister Fawad Hassan Fawad.