Passenger aircraft ‘held back’ in Malaysia as part of legal dispute: PIA

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane was held back in Malaysia as part of a legal dispute between the airline and another party, the national flag carrier said on Friday.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the airline said: “A PIA aircraft has been held back by a local court in Malaysia taking a one-sided decision pertaining to a legal dispute between PIA and another party pending in a UK court.

“The passengers are being looked after and alternate arrangements for their travel have been finalised,” the statement said.

“It is an unacceptable situation and PIA has engaged support from the government of Pakistan to take up this matter using diplomatic channels.”

Commenting on the legal dispute, the airline’s spokesperson told Dawn.com that it was a “payment dispute between us and the party Perigreen” that had been filed in the UK courts about six months ago.

The spokesperson refused to give further details on the dispute, adding that the Malaysian court took an “ex-parte decision causing inconvenience to the passengers who had already boarded the plane”.