Pakistani airlines are no longer banned by the UK.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott confirmed that the United Kingdom has formally lifted its long-standing ban on Pakistani airlines, a move that has been heralded as a major improvement in UK-Pakistan relations.
Pakistan has been taken off the UK’s Air Safety List, according to the British High Commission, which means Pakistani airlines can now request authorisation to fly to the UK. This decision comes after the UK’s Air Safety Committee acknowledged Pakistan’s advancements in aviation safety systems.
Although Pakistani airlines still need operational approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the High Commission says the removal from the list is a significant step. The procedure was carried out independently, using only technical evaluations as its basis.
The British High Commission emphasised the wider context of bilateral relations by pointing out that, with trade exceeding £4.7 billion, the UK is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner. It is anticipated that improved air travel options will further solidify this collaboration.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott thanked Pakistani and UK aviation experts for their collaboration. “I look forward to travelling on a Pakistani airline, even though the resumption of flights will take time,” she said, adding that improved air connectivity will aid in family reunions and strengthen interpersonal relationships.
Notably, modifications to the UK Air Safety List are subject to a technical, unbiased review that is supervised by the UK Air Safety Committee.
The decision was also praised by Prime Minister Shehbaz.
The prime minister posted on X, saying, “Thank God! PIA is back in the UK skies. With the resumption of our airline’s operations to the United Kingdom, Pakistan is vindicated and grateful to Allah Almighty. PTI members’ careless and reckless remarks damaged Pakistan’s reputation beyond repair and prevented our national carrier from operating on important international routes, such as those to the UK and Europe, for years.
PTI leadership is blamed by Khawaja Asif for PIA’s demise.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that a reckless statement made by the former aviation minister during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) era caused the national airline, PIA, losses worth billions of rupees.
Speaking at a press conference after Pakistan’s name was taken off the UK’s air safety list, Khawaja Asif called the move a major turning point.
He stated that PTI founder Imran Khan and Ghulam Sarwar together turned PIA into a graveyard.
He accused former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar of making baseless allegations against his own institution, which led to the ban during the PTI government.
