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ISLAMABAD, Jul 16 (APP):In a significant boost to aviation ties, the United Kingdom has officially removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, lifting the four-year-long ban on Pakistani carriers from operating flights to the UK.
This landmark decision follows years of technical collaboration between the UK and Pakistan, culminating in the UK Air Safety Committee’s judgment that Pakistan has successfully met international air safety standards. Pakistani airlines can now apply for operational permits from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, marking the first step toward resuming direct flights.
British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, welcomed the move, stating:
“I’m grateful to aviation experts in the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work to drive improvements to meet international safety standards. While it will take time for flights to resume, once the logistics are in place, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends.”
The UK’s Air Safety Committee, an independent body overseeing aviation safety decisions, had initially placed Pakistan on the list in 2021. Years of sustained engagement with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority have led to substantial reforms and improvements in flight safety protocols, enabling the removal.
The development is expected to bring immense relief and opportunity to the over 1.6 million British residents of Pakistani heritage and thousands of British nationals living in Pakistan. It also comes as a potential catalyst for enhancing the £4.7 billion bilateral trade between the two countries.
With airspace now cleared, the skies are once again open for stronger people-to-people connections and economic cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.