Pakistan airline suspends operations from Kabul citing Taliban interference

Islamabad (Reuters) – Pakistan International Airlines said on Thursday it was suspending flights from Kabul after what it called “heavy handed” interference by Taliban authorities, including arbitrary rule changes and intimidation of staff.

The statement came as the Taliban government ordered the airline, the only international company operating regularly out of Kabul, to cut ticket prices to the levels from before the fall of the Western-backed government in August.

“We are suspending our flight operations to Kabul from today because of the heavy handedness of the authorities,” a spokesman said.