UK removes ban on Pakistani airlines following safety improvements

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ISLAMABAD: The UK’s Air Safety Committee announced on Wednesday that the UK had removed Pakistan from its air safety list.

The move clears the way for Pakistani airlines to apply for allowing flights to the UK again.

The decision, announced by the UK Air Safety Committee, has fully reviewed the continued technical cooperation and aviation safety standards with Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).

The ban was imposed by British and European aviation officials in July 2020 following the fake pilot license scandal.

In 2020, during the Pakistan Tehreek -e -Insaf (PTI) government, then aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan claimed that the pilots were operating aircraft with fake licenses. PIA’s Airbus A-320s was a reaction after falling into Karachi, killing about 100 people.

Although removal from this list is an important milestone, the Pakistani carrier will still need to obtain individual operating permits from the UK Civil Aviation Authority before the resume of flights.

Read a statement issued by the British High Commission, the move is expected that traveling for 1.6 million people living in the UK will facilitate travel, as well as supporting trade relations between the two countries.

It states that bilateral trade between the two countries is currently $ 77 billion, Britain has been declared Pakistan’s third largest trading partner.

Pakistan was first added to the UK’s air safety list in 2021 due to serious security concerns. The statement added that since then, officials from both sides have worked together to remove the shortcomings.

British High Commissioner for Pakistan Jane Marriott welcomes the ban on Pakistani airlines.

“I am grateful to aviation experts in the UK and Pakistan for working with their cooperation to meet international security standards.

“Although flights will not resume overnight, I look forward to flying with a Pakistani airline once the service is resumed,” he added.

Although several private Pakistani airlines work locally and on regional routes, mainly in the Middle East, PIA has historically been the only career to make long -distance flights to the UK and the European Union.

Earlier, the PIA estimated the annual income of about 40 billion ($ 144 million) due to the ban. The airline has long considered the UK routes, including London, Manchester and Birmingham, the most profitable of them, and is looking for landing slots at London’s Heathrow Airport, which can once again be mobilized.

This development came months after the European Union (EU) flying on various European locations from flying over the PIA and other operators.

After the ban was lifted, the PIA opened the first direct flight from Islamabad to Paris this year.

‘Major Milestone’

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif praised Britain’s decision to remove Pakistan from its air safety list as a “big milestone”, presented the three -year permanent efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the Defense Minister said that this development opens new opportunities for Pakistan’s aviation industry.

Terming the list of air safety as a “national embarrassment”, Asif attacked former Prime Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan on his statement, which banned Pakistani airlines on international flight.

Asif said, “Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan has crossed an important limit.” He also praised former Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq for his permanent following the case in the last three years.

The aviation minister added that the federal cabinet will decide on any action against those responsible for past failures and reaffirm the government’s commitment to restore the national airline’s global credibility.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif also welcomed the decision to lift the ban on air security in Pakistan, and took the move ahead of the aviation sector.

In a post on the social media platform X, the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for the restoration of flight operations, saying that the decision would allow the PIA to resume services after several years of suspension.

The Prime Minister accused the former administration of damaging Pakistan’s reputation, saying that “negligence and irresponsible statements” have made the national airline the basis of key global routes.

Highlighting the importance of the move, the Prime Minister said that it would benefit more than 1.6 million people from the UK -based Pakistani heritage, as well as thousands of British citizens living in Pakistan.

He praised Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Aviation officials, and all stakeholders for his role in achieving the milestone.

“The job was well,” he said.

A PIA spokesperson said the airline was finalizing preparations to resume flights “in the shortest time” and presented its proposed schedule.

The spokesman added that the flights would resume along the route to Islamabad countries, with three weekly flights initially planned to approach the schedule.

Earlier this month, Pakistan approved four groups to bid 51-100 % in PIA. The final bid is expected later this year.

The government is hoping that the recent reforms, which have led to the airline’s first operating profit in 21 years-will help attract buyers to a large scale of IMF-backed privatization.