Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has inaugurated the resumption of Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) flight operations to the United Kingdom, marking the end of a five-year suspension.
The first flight from Islamabad to Manchester is scheduled to depart today, following the clearance issued by UK aviation authorities. Speaking at the ceremony, Khawaja Asif praised the efforts of Pakistan’s diplomatic officials in securing the restoration of flight operations and acknowledged the cooperation of UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott in the process.
The minister said that the five-year ban on PIA had caused significant financial losses and had damaged the airline’s international standing. He noted that the suspension originated from the controversy surrounding fake pilot licences, but added that operational standards had now been improved.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s High Commissioner in London, Muhammad Faisal, said that PIA is also considering launching flights to additional cities in the UK in the coming months, which would benefit Pakistani travellers and the diaspora community.
The resumption of flights is seen as a major step in restoring Pakistan’s aviation connections with Europe and expanding the national airline’s international network.
