The United Kingdom has officially lifted its five-year ban on Pakistani airlines, allowing them to apply for permission to operate flights to the UK once again. This decision follows a technical review by the UK’s Air Safety Committee, which recognized improvements in Pakistan’s aviation safety systems.
The ban was initially imposed in June 2020 after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crash killed 97 people in Karachi, which led to allegations that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had cheated on their licensing exams. However, after sustained efforts by the Pakistani government to improve aviation safety, the UK has now lifted its ban.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the lifting of the ban, calling it “an important milestone for the country”. He added that the decision would be a source of relief for Pakistanis residing in Britain. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also expressed satisfaction, stating that resuming all routes would improve PIA’s value ahead of its privatization. Asif attributed the ban to “baseless” remarks made by former Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, describing it as a “national-level blunder”.
PIA, which employs 7,000 people, has long been accused of being bloated and poorly run, with unpaid bills, poor safety records, and regulatory issues. The airline had estimated an annual revenue loss of around 40 billion rupees ($144 million) due to the ban. With the ban lifted, PIA plans to resume flights to the UK, with the Islamabad-Manchester route set to operate three times a week. The airline holds sought-after landing slots at London’s Heathrow Airport, which could become active again.
Pakistan’s government has committed to privatizing the debt-ridden airline and has approved four groups to bid for a 51-100% stake in PIA. Final bids are expected later this year. The government hopes that recent reforms, which led to the airline’s first operating profit in 21 years, will attract buyers under a broader International Monetary Fund-backed privatization push.
The lifting of the ban is expected to boost bilateral trade ties and reunite families. British High Commissioner Jane Marriott expressed gratitude for the collaborative work between Pakistani and UK aviation experts to meet international safety standards. She looks forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends. With over 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the UK, and thousands of British nationals residing in Pakistan, the move will help families reconnect and potentially boost trade.