Islamabad (TDI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday welcomed the lifting of the ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights by the European Commission and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Following the development, the national carrier will be able to restart flights on its most lucrative route in Europe and the United Kingdom after four long years.
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The premier felicitated Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, and the officials of Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), and PIA, saying the development will not only benefit PIA financially but also improve its reputation globally.
“This is the result of successful policies of the government,” the premier said, adding that the move will make air travel easier for Pakistanis living in Europe.
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The prime minister’s statement comes hours after Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the European Commission and EASA have lifted the ban on PIA flights to Europe.
“It is made possible due to the complete focus of the Aviation Ministry to strengthen PCAA and ensure safety oversight in line with ICAO standards,” Asif said in a post on X.
The EASA banned PIA in 2020 from operating direct flights to Europe and the UK, following a plane crash in Karachi that killed nearly 100, followed by a scandal over pilot licenses.
The ban cost the airline an annual revenue of nearly Rs40 billion ($143.73 million), the government informed a parliamentary committee in June this year.
