RAWALPINDI: A delegation of the UK’s Department for Tra­nsport currently visiting Pa­­­kistan to evaluate aviation saf­ety sta­n­dards held a meeting with the PIA management on Friday.

The UK team visited PIA headquarters and inspected the national flag carrier’s flight operations, flight safety and engineering.

The successful completion of the UK DfT team’s visit will pave the way for Pakistani airlines to resume direct flights to the UK, ending a long restriction on UK routes.

A spokesman for Civil Aviation Auth­ority (CAA) said the UK delegation had arrived here four days ago to rev­iew aviation safety standards.

The UK team was welcomed by CAA Director General Nadir Shafi Dar and heads of various departments. The UK team’s evaluation came after months of preparatory meetings between Pakistani and British aviation authorities.

The CAA is hopeful about the outcome, citing extensive preparations regarding international aviation safety requirements.

The ban on Pakistan’s natio­nal carrier operating in the EU was lifted by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in November last year.

The restriction was imposed in 2020 after a PIA plane crash and pilots’ licence scandal.

After the ban on Pakistani flights was lifted by EASA, PIA resumed flights to European destinations.

The PIA is keen to fly to London, Birmingham and Manchester from Islamabad and Lahore.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025