By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom on Wednesday removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, paving the way for Pakistani airlines to apply for permits to operate flights to the UK, the British High Commission in Islamabad said.
The decision marks a significant step for Pakistan’s aviation sector, which has faced restrictions since June 2020, when debt-laden Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was banned from flying to the European Union, the UK, and the United States.
The ban followed the crash of a PIA Airbus A-320 in Karachi’s Model Colony in May 2020, which killed nearly 100 people and was blamed on human error by pilots and air traffic controllers. Subsequent allegations that many Pakistani pilots held fake or dubious licenses deepened the crisis.
A UK Department for Transport team conducted an aviation security inspection at Islamabad International Airport last Thursday, declaring Pakistan’s security measures “satisfactory and in line with international standards.”
“Following air safety improvements, the UK’s Air Safety Committee has lifted UK restrictions on Pakistani carriers,” the British High Commission said in a statement. “Individual airline carriers will still need to apply for permits to operate to the UK through the UK Civil Aviation Authority.”
The UK’s Air Safety Committee, which has worked closely with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority for years, determined that “necessary safety improvements have been made since its original decision in 2021”.
The EU lifted its own ban on Pakistani carriers in November last year, with PIA resuming flights to Paris from Islamabad in January and from Lahore in June.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott praised the collaborative efforts. In a post on X, she called the decision “an important step, and a testament” to PIA’s safety improvements.
“I’m grateful to aviation experts in the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work to drive improvements to meet international safety standards. While it will take time for flights to resume, once the logistics are in place, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the move, stating it will “provide ease in travel between the UK and Pakistan and help this vital trade relationship grow manifold.”
“With over 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the UK and thousands of British nationals in Pakistan, today’s announcement brings long-awaited relief and new opportunities for families and friends to reunite,” Sharif wrote on X platform.
Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif called it “another milestone” for the government. “Three years of continuous hard work have borne fruit. The green crescent flag is once again soaring proudly in the skies,” Asif wrote on X.
Later, at a press conference in Islamabad, he confirmed that the aviation ministry would now apply for licences to restore routes to Britain, adding that both PIA and private carrier Airblue had been removed from the safety list. “According to my knowledge, they have allowed not just PIA but also Airblue,” Asid said.
A PIA statement also announced the national airline was finalizing preparations to resume flights to the UK “as quickly as possible” and was in the process of filing a flight schedule. It informed it was planning to launch three weekly flights after getting approval from the UK authorities.
Asif used the press conference to lambast the previous government, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, for the ban and the damage inflicted on PIA’s reputation, which he termed a “crime against state.”
He singled out Khan and then-Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who had claimed in the National Assembly that nearly 40% of Pakistani pilots held fake licenses after the 2020 crash. “Imran Khan and Ghulam Sarwar turned PIA into a graveyard,” Asif said. “The prime minister could order an enquiry to conduct an investigation and hold individuals accountable.”
Asif argued that Sarwar’s statement alone was “enough to fix responsibility,” as it tarnished PIA’s image, caused a drop in business, grounded planes, and harmed pilots’ reputations.
The minister outlined next steps, including efforts to resume flights to New York and the privatization of PIA. “The restoration of routes will assist the process as the government will receive a higher bid price,” he said, adding that private investment could revive the airline with a new fleet and expanded routes.
The UK’s decision is expected to ease travel and strengthen economic ties between the two nations, with bilateral trade valued at £4.7 billion. The UK is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner, and with over 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage in the UK and thousands of British nationals in Pakistan, the resumption of flights promises to reconnect families and boost commerce.
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