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The
airline faced a ban from both the UK and the European Union in
June 2020 after a deadly crash in Karachi that killed nearly 100
people, and subsequent revelations of pilots with fake licenses.
The European ban was lifted in November 2024 after extensive
safety audits, clearing the way for PIA to restore suspended
routes in January of this year.
The first Boeing 777 flight from Islamabad to Manchester on
Saturday marked PIA’s return following months of inspections and
reforms that restored Britain’s confidence in Pakistan’s
aviation system.
“The flight to Manchester is a remarkable beginning, but we are
firmly determined to start flights to London and Birmingham
next,” Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif told a
ceremony held at Islamabad International Airport.
Asif said in a televised address that the flights were essential
for the more than 1.4 million Pakistanis in Britain and Europe,
and noted that the remittances they send were the backbone of
Pakistan’s economy.
“Providing them with direct flights is both a moral and national
duty," he said. “These services will save them time, offer
reasonable fares, and provide direct air links to their
homeland.”
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, Mohammad Faisal, hailed
the relaunch as a major step forward for economic and cultural
ties between the two nations.
“This milestone will bring major economic benefits; generating
substantial revenue, boosting trade and tourism, and expanding
the movement of people and goods,” he said at a recent event in
London.
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