ISLAMABAD — On Friday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced the resumption of direct flights to Europe after the European Union’s aviation safety agency lifted a four-year ban regarding safety regulations. This move has been met with approval from government officials, who believe it will significantly enhance the reputation of the airline.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his satisfaction with this development, emphasizing its potential to restore trust in PIA’s operations. The inaugural flight from Islamabad to Paris was reportedly sold out, accommodating over 300 passengers.
The new twice-weekly flights were officially inaugurated by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who promised that PIA plans to broaden its service to include additional European destinations in the near future. During his address, Asif noted that the initial ban was the result of a “careless statement” made by a former aviation minister, which raised doubts about pilot qualifications.
The ban was originally put in place in 2020 following a tragic crash in Karachi that resulted in 97 fatalities. An investigation led by the then-Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan revealed that a significant number of Pakistani pilots had allegedly falsified their examination results. Additional governmental inquiries later determined that pilot error was the primary cause of the accident.
According to officials, the suspension of flights to Europe resulted in losses estimated at approximately $150 million annually for PIA.
On the same day, another milestone was reached as the first international flight departed from Gwadar, home to a newly constructed airport in southwestern Pakistan, bound for Muscat. This airport, funded by Chinese investments, was officially opened by Chinese Premier Li Qiang in October.
Located in the turbulent region of Balochistan, this airport is part of a larger Chinese initiative that links a deep-sea port with the Arabian Sea via roadways to China, marking a significant step in infrastructural development in the area.
