UK Lifts Ban on Pakistani Airlines

The United Kingdom has lifted its five-year ban on Pakistani airlines, including the national flag carrier International Airlines Group, following significant improvements in Pakistan's aviation safety standards. The ban was initially imposed in June 2020 after a International Airlines Group plane crash in Karachi killed 97 people, which was followed by allegations of fake pilot licenses. The United Kingdom — UK Air Safety Committee, after extensive engagement with the Saudi Arabia — General Authority of Civil Aviation, decided to remove Pakistan and its air carriers from the UK Air Safety List. This decision follows a similar move by the European Union — European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which lifted its ban earlier this year, allowing International Airlines Group to resume flights to Europe in January. The lifting of the ban is seen as a major boost for Pakistan's efforts to privatize the debt-ridden International Airlines Group, with the government having already shortlisted four groups to bid for a majority stake. Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, welcomed the decision, with Asif attributing the initial ban to 'baseless' remarks made by former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan. The move is expected to facilitate travel for the 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the United Kingdom and boost bilateral trade ties.