EU bans PIA flights carrying cargo

KARACHI: The European Union (EU) has stopped Pakistan International Airlines from bringing cargo to the member states owing to security concerns, it is learnt here reliably. According to the highly placed sources, the ban will also leave the national flag carrier unable to carry the cargo for the United States. Though there is no restriction on PIA from the US authorities, the airline is not allowed to fly directly from Pakistan to the US and all Pakistan International Airlines flights going to the US have to land at European airports first for checking before restarting their journey for the US. Responding to Dawn queries, PIA spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar said the ban was imposed owing to security concerns by the United Kingdom only, but as the UK is a member of the European Union all the EU countries would observe this ban and would not allow the PIA aircraft to carry cargo there. He said a communication had been received to this effect from the UK’s Transpiration Department on Monday. Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2014