March 02, 2007	Friday	Safar 12, 1428

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PESHAWAR, March 1: No aircraft of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), except Boeing 777, would be allowed to land in any of the 27 European Union states from March 8, German Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Gunter Mulack said here on Thursday.

Responding to a question at a press conference here on Thursday, the ambassador said that the EU decision on the ban was final because most of PIA’s planes did not meet the required safety standards.

A meeting of the EU authorities would be held on March 5 or 7 to take a formal decision.

Germany, which holds the presidency of the EU, recently refused to grant landing permission to a Frankfurt-bound Airbus flight from Islamabad.

Dr Mulack pointed out that Pakistan had been informed of the decision about a year ago. “PIA was asked time and again to improve safety standards by inducting modern aircraft in its fleet.”

Because of the ban, only Boeing 777 aircraft of PIA would be able to land in European countries.