Carrying passengers without relevant documents: PIA fined Rs 71.17 million at foreign stations during five years, National Assembly told

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been fined Rs 71.17 million at foreign stations during the last five years for transporting passengers without relevant documents and forged visas, National Assembly was informed here on Thursday. In a written reply to the House, Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar said that during last five years (January 01, 2006 till December 31, 2010), there were 667 cases, whereby Rs 71,165,082 fine was imposed on the airline.
However, he said, the management of the PIA has taken up such cases with travel agents and due to the consistent efforts, they have been able to recover Rs 12,042,095, adding that vigorous follow up is being made by the PIA with the defaulters to recover the remaining Rs 59,122,987.
He further told the House that various steps had been taken to prevent illegal immigration through air journey. To a question, Mukhtar told the House that during the year 2010, 16358 PIA flights out of the total 51133 were delayed to reach their destinations due to technical reasons and 4740 owing to bad weather. To another query, he said that PIA would add one more destination to its network by operating flights to Athens, Greece from June 2011.
Meanwhile, replying a question on behalf of the Defence Minister, Makhdoom Shahabuddin informed the House that the government has taken a series of steps to turn PIA into a profitable entity, adding that soon funds would be released by the Finance Ministry for the purchase of new aircrafts.
He said that the new administration of PIA was also working frantically to facilitate the travelling passengers in every possible manner. To a question, Defence Minister informed the House that a total of Rs 11 billion had so far been incurred on the construction of New Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad. He said that the area of the new airport was situated in two districts namely Attock and Rawalpindi.
He further said that the new airport would be established at a total land of 3287 acres for which 2998 acres of land was acquired through Land Acquisition Act of 1894 for the project, while 245 acres of land was purchased through government of Punjab and 44 acres through private agent.
Acting Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi took serious notice of the absence of officials of three ministries and divisions from the proceeding of the House and referred the matter to the Privilege Committee for action. He asked all ministries and divisions, whose matters are taken up in the House, to ensure presence of their secretaries and additional secretaries during the proceeding. Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, who is also chief whip of the government, appreciated the steps of the chair, saying that he has no objection on any action from the chair against the responsible officials.