ISLAMABAD: Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif announced on Friday that the European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have officially lifted the ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operations to Europe.
This decision allows PIA to resume flights to its important European destinations.
The suspension was imposed in June 2020 following a tragic crash of a PIA flight in Karachi, which resulted in nearly 100 fatalities. Additionally, a controversy over allegedly fake pilot licenses, brought to light by former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, contributed to the decision. The ban had a significant financial impact on the airline, costing it around Rs 40 billion annually in lost revenue.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Minister Asif hailed the lifting of the ban as a “momentous day.” He also announced that Airblue, another Pakistani carrier, has received authorization to operate in Europe as well.
Asif credited the lifting of the ban to the Ministry of Aviation’s focused efforts in improving the safety standards of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and ensuring compliance with international regulations set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“Our government has taken substantial steps to strengthen the PCAA, including enacting the PCAA Act, separating regulatory and service functions, and appointing qualified leadership. I thank EASA for recognizing our commitment to ensuring aviation safety in Pakistan,” Asif remarked.
Speaking to Geo News, Asif expressed optimism about the future, noting that Pakistan’s civil aviation bodies had worked tirelessly to meet European safety standards. He pointed out that multiple audits had been conducted over the past three years, and Pakistan had successfully met the requirements.
Looking ahead, Asif hoped the lifting of the European ban would pave the way for the resumption of PIA’s services to the UK. Other airlines, including FlyJinnah, are also undergoing audits to meet these standards.
Regarding when Pakistani carriers would begin flights to Europe, the Minister stated that it was a matter of time. However, he acknowledged that PIA would need to acquire new aircraft before it could fully resume operations on these lucrative routes.
“PIA currently lacks the fleet to operate on these routes, but regaining access to European markets will significantly increase its attractiveness, especially as the privatization process continues,” he added.
Asif also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his involvement in the process, emphasizing that the Prime Minister had closely monitored the developments and held frequent discussions to ensure progress.
The lifting of the ban was met with positive reactions from government officials. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar called it “wonderful news,” while the EASA spokesperson noted that the decision was made after reviewing the significant efforts made by the PCAA in improving safety oversight.
The original suspension followed a grounding of 262 pilots, including 141 from PIA, whose licenses were questioned by the former aviation minister.
This came after an initial investigation into the PIA crash in Karachi, which found the pilots’ failure to follow safety procedures. In response to this, the PCAA had implemented corrective measures, including a detailed action plan to address the shortcomings identified during an on-site audit conducted from November 27 to 30, 2023.
