Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) can once again operate flights to the United Kingdom following the revocation of a previous ban, a development celebrated by government officials and the Pakistani diaspora. The announcement came via a statement from Ishaq Dar on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Dar attributed the achievement to the groundwork laid by the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) administration, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (2022-23). Their legislative reforms within the aviation sector, including three key laws, allowed PIA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to comply with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. This paved the way for the resumption of flights to Europe in November 2024.

The recent lifting of the UK ban, according to Dar, follows sustained diplomatic initiatives alongside technical and regulatory adjustments with UK officials. These combined efforts focused on securing the earliest possible reinstatement of PIA”s UK flight operations.