The United Kingdom has lifted a five-year-long ban on Pakistani airlines, allowing Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to resume flights to Britain after being grounded in 2020 following a deadly crash and concerns over pilot licensing.
The British High Commission in Islamabad confirmed on Wednesday that the UK Air Safety Committee had removed Pakistan and its air carriers from its safety list. The decision follows significant improvements in aviation safety standards in Pakistan, assessed through what the commission described as “an independent and technically-driven process.”
The UK ban was imposed in June 2020 after a PIA flight crashed into a residential area in Karachi, killing 97 of the 99 people on board. An investigation attributed the disaster to human error by both the pilots and air traffic controllers. Subsequent inquiries revealed that more than 30% of Pakistani pilots held dubious or fraudulent licenses, prompting international aviation regulators to take action.
The lifting of restrictions mirrors a similar move by European regulators earlier this year, which allowed PIA to resume flights to continental Europe in January. Now, with both bans removed, the airline is set to re-enter two of its most crucial markets.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the UK’s decision, calling it “an important milestone” for the country. “The lifting of the ban on Pakistani flights by the UK is a source of relief for Pakistanis residing in Britain,” he said in a statement.
PIA, Pakistan’s national flag carrier, said it is preparing to resume direct flights to the UK “in the shortest possible time,” with initial operations expected on the Islamabad–Manchester route.
Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif acknowledged the impact the ban had caused to the airline and the country’s aviation sector. “Confidence is being restored in Pakistani airlines once again,” he said at a press briefing in Islamabad.
PIA, which employs around 7,000 people, has long struggled with financial instability, operational inefficiencies, and safety concerns. The state-owned carrier has faced mounting debts and regulatory hurdles, and the Pakistani government has pledged to privatise the airline in hopes of attracting investment and modernising its operations.
A previous attempt to sell the airline collapsed earlier this year when a potential buyer reportedly offered far below the government’s valuation.
PIA was established in 1955 through the nationalisation of a private airline and enjoyed decades of growth before a steep decline set in during the 1990s. With renewed access to European skies, the airline now faces a critical opportunity to restore its reputation and financial health.
