*ISLAMABAD – Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) bank accounts have beenfrozen by FBR over non-payment of outstanding tax dues.*

According to reports, the PIA under federal excise duty had to pay Rs. 10million to FBR, but the national carrier could not make the payments asyet. The FBR, in action, froze all the PIA accounts, prompting difficultiesto the latter in payment of salaries to the employees as well as runningflight operations.

Apart from payment of salaries and pensions, PIA is also struggling toacquire fuel for its jets as the national carrier is unable to paysuppliers.

The accounts were frozen and even after the passage of three days, noprogress has been made. As per the reports, the talks between the PIA andthe FBR also bore no fruits.

Some years ago, the FBR had frozen almost half a dozen bank accounts of thenational flag carrier after PIA defaulted on Rs3.5 billion tax payments.The issue ended when PIA deposited Rs85 million and pleaded that thefreezing of accounts had started affecting the airline’s operations.