Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which is facing acute financial crisis these days, has received Rs550 million from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

In this connection, the ministry officials have handed a cheque to the airline’s representative.

Sources told 24News that the ministry had to pay the amount to the airline under the head of Hajj flight operation.

But since the post of secretary in the ministry had been lying vacant since the transfer of Dr. Aftab Ahmed Durrani to the Ministry of Interior on September 18, it could not make payments to different airlines, they disclosed.

Sources further said that the national flag carrier had paid 95 per cent of the total amount, while the remaining five per cent was paid in the last few days.

They revealed that the PIA had to suffer a loss of over Rs8 billion due to the cancellation of 340 flights in 11 days on account of non-supply of fuel.    

Reporter: Usman Khan