UK Lifts Ban on Pakistani Airlines After Safety Upgrades, Signals Return of Direct Flights
The United Kingdom has lifted its four-year ban on Pakistani airlines, citing improved air safety standards following sustained oversight and reforms.
The decision, confirmed by the British High Commission in Islamabad on Wednesday, follows similar action by the European Union earlier this year.
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The ban was initially imposed in 2020 after Pakistan’s former aviation minister publicly revealed that a large number of pilots had obtained licenses fraudulently, shortly after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crash killed 97 people in Karachi.
That disclosure led to widespread scrutiny and an international freeze on Pakistani carriers' access to key routes.
UK authorities now acknowledge that Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority has taken steps to align with international protocols.
The Air Safety Committee, which oversees airline safety within the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, confirmed that Pakistani airlines are no longer subject to the prior restrictions.
However, individual carriers must still apply for operating permits before resuming commercial flights to Britain.
The lifting of the ban is expected to benefit the Pakistani diaspora in the UK—numbering over 1.6 million—and could pave the way for renewed business and travel links between the two countries.
While flights won’t resume immediately, the announcement has been met with cautious optimism from both sides.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has linked the original ban to reputational damage caused by what he described as “reckless” statements from former officials, which he claims inflicted significant financial losses on PIA.
The airline has faced mounting pressure in recent years to reform and restore international confidence.
The UK emphasized that the delisting process was purely technical, overseen independently, and signals recognition of Pakistan’s efforts to bring its aviation safety back on course.