ISLAMABAD – The United Kingdom has officially removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, a major development allowing Pakistani airlines to apply for permits to resume flights to the UK. This follows years of technical collaboration between the UK Air Safety Committee and Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority, confirming that Pakistan has made the required safety improvements since being placed on the list in 2021.

Although the ban is lifted, each airline must still obtain necessary permits from the UK Civil Aviation Authority through a formal application process. The move is expected to ease travel for over 1.6 million people of Pakistani origin living in the UK and thousands of British nationals in Pakistan. It is also likely to boost bilateral trade, which currently stands at £4.7 billion, making the UK Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner.

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott expressed appreciation for the cooperative efforts between aviation experts in both countries to meet international safety standards. She noted that while flights will take some time to resume, she looks forward to flying on a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends.

This decision comes after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency lifted its five-year ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to Europe earlier this year. PIA is preparing to relaunch services, starting with three weekly flights between Islamabad and Manchester. The airline had lost an estimated $144 million annually due to the previous ban and is keen to restore its UK routes, including coveted slots at Heathrow Airport.

The lifting of the ban coincides with Pakistan’s efforts to privatize PIA, with four groups approved to bid for a 51 to 100 percent stake in the airline. The government hopes recent reforms, including PIA’s first operating profit in 21 years, will attract buyers under an IMF-supported privatization plan.

Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif welcomed the development, attributing the original ban to unfounded statements by a former aviation minister, which he said harmed PIA’s reputation and finances.

The UK Air Safety Committee’s decision was made following an independent, technically driven safety review, which concluded that Pakistan had implemented the necessary upgrades to meet international aviation safety standards.