Islamabad: The Civil Aviation Authority has said the airlines of several foreign countries, including the United States and India, owe billions of rupees to the CAA. Officials yesterday told the Public Accounts Committee that the foreign airlines have yet to pay Rs 15 billon, including Rs18 million by the US Air Force. The US had to pay these dues in the heads of using Pakistan airspace, rent, electricity bill and aeronautical revenue during the war in Afghanistan.
According to the CAA, the US has not cleared the arrears from 2002 to 2003 and Pakistani authorities have repeatedly raised the issue with the American embassy in Islamabad but in vain. The US declared war on Taliban in Afghanistan in the 2001 following Sept 11 attacks. Pakistan’s airbases were used by the US and its allies during the Afghan war. US and Nato forces used Shamsi, Shahbaz and Tarbela Ghazi Airbases during the war. However, the airbases were cleared after the martyrdom of Pakistani soldiers in Nato air attack on Salala checkpost near the Afghan border.
The attack drew Islamabad’s ire and prompted Pakistani authorities to halt logistics’ supplies to the US-led forces fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Nato vehicles were allowed to pass through Pakistan after a year when the US formally tendered an apology to Pakistan for the attack. CAA Secretary Irfan Elahi told the Public Accounts Committee that in the head of airport tax, Indian Airlines, Russian Airlines and local airlines owed heavily to CAA, but the authority yet to receive Rs 8 billion from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
27/01/16 The Nation
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
According to the CAA, the US has not cleared the arrears from 2002 to 2003 and Pakistani authorities have repeatedly raised the issue with the American embassy in Islamabad but in vain. The US declared war on Taliban in Afghanistan in the 2001 following Sept 11 attacks. Pakistan’s airbases were used by the US and its allies during the Afghan war. US and Nato forces used Shamsi, Shahbaz and Tarbela Ghazi Airbases during the war. However, the airbases were cleared after the martyrdom of Pakistani soldiers in Nato air attack on Salala checkpost near the Afghan border.
The attack drew Islamabad’s ire and prompted Pakistani authorities to halt logistics’ supplies to the US-led forces fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Nato vehicles were allowed to pass through Pakistan after a year when the US formally tendered an apology to Pakistan for the attack. CAA Secretary Irfan Elahi told the Public Accounts Committee that in the head of airport tax, Indian Airlines, Russian Airlines and local airlines owed heavily to CAA, but the authority yet to receive Rs 8 billion from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
27/01/16 The Nation
