KARACHI, May 17: PIA chief retired air chief marshal Rao Qamar Suleman is currently on an official visit to Cologne and Washington, says a statement issued here by the PIA on Thursday.

It further says: “The Board of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had asked the present managing director to come in person as no official from senior management of PIA was acceptable for the meeting by the EASA board that is looking at enforcing suspension on PIA due to its failure to comply with the EASA 145 regulations.

“The present MD had requested the EASA board to reconsider their decision as the deadline to place the suspension was set for end April 2012. The EASA board had agreed to suspend the sanctions on the condition that the MD PIA made a personal appearance before the EASA board.

“The meetings with the Transportation Security Administration – USA (TSA) officials at Washington DC were being held to stop the anticipated 8 hour delay for the PIA flights going to the USA via Manchester for a secondary check.

“Should the TSA enforce this condition, the feasibility of flying PIA to the USA shall have serious implications for the airline.

The meeting was already scheduled and is a follow up of the TSA officials visit to Pakistan in April 2012.

“His family was traveling on a private visit and on their own expense and had nothing to do with the official visit of the MD PIA.”