ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said the issue of PIA and its office in New Delhi has been taken up with the External Affairs Ministry of India through Foreign Office.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam at her weekly briefing said that PIA acquired some property in 2005, but recently, On November 24th, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) served a notice on PIA office in New Delhi, stating that the property purchased by PIA in 2005 violated the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which prohibited nine countries' citizens, including Pakistan, from acquiring properties on ownership basis without prior permission of RBI.
The spokesperson said PIA was asked to dispose-off the property within six months. The notice was followed by summons on January 2 from the Enforcement Directorate, Ministry of Finance.
The PIA office clarified that prior to purchasing the property located at Flats 519-520, Narain Manzil, 23 Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, they had fulfilled all formalities including, seeking permission of RBI, and subsequently the property was transferred in PIA's name and was duly registered with Indian authorities concerned, said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said nevertheless, PIA office consulted a local legal expert and submitted its response on January 1. to RBI with copy to Enforcement Directorate of India.
The issue has also been taken up by Pakistan's Mission in New Delhi and through Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Ministry of External Affairs and through Indian High Commission, respectively.
The spokesperson further said a separate issue faced by two- member PIA Staff in New Delhi is that their visas, which expired last week, have not been renewed.
She said Pakistan Mission has taken up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs, who have promised to resolve the issue of visas.
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