ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Saturday that the government was committed to making Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) a profitable institution.
He made the remarks during a ceremony at the Islamabad International Airport to mark the national flag carrier’s inaugural flight from the capital to the United Kingdom (UK) after a gap of nearly five years.
Last month, the airline had received Third Country Operator approval for the UK. The development came after Britain’s Department of Transport concluded that security arrangements in the country were “satisfactory and in line with international standards”.
Flight operations to Manchester are resuming in the first phase, with plans to extend them to Birmingham and London in the second.
“After a long and difficult delay of five years, today the resumption of flights from Islamabad to Manchester is a feat we have achieved through our hard work and determination,” Asif said.
“This success is not a coincidence but a living testament of the government’s priorities, strong leadership, and efforts,” he said. The minister said that the country’s image suffered immensely when the national carrier faced international bans.
“We took it as a national challenge. The government, without wasting a single moment, empowered and provided resources to the country’s aviation bodies,” he said.
“To meet the standards of the world’s strictest aviation bodies, we completely restructured pilot training, the licensing system, aircraft maintenance, and safety protocols,” he added.
“It is a matter of great pride that we raised our standards to such a level that the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) restored its confidence in PIA,“ the minister said.
Asif also expressed gratitude to Pakistani diplomats and staff based in Britain and Europe, saying that they “presented Pakistan’s case effectively at a diplomatic level, provided evidence, and maintained continuous engagement” with the relevant authorities.
He said that their persistent efforts had enabled the national carrier to resume its regular flight operations.
“I would especially like to thank the staff of the British High Commission in Pakistan and their team leader, Jane Marriott,” he said, adding that they also played a part in accelerating the process and removing obstacles.
“Their cooperation highlights the strong friendship between the two countries,” he said. The minister added that the government was committed to making PIA a profitable institution so that it could support the economy instead of being a burden.
The minister said that the flights to Manchester were an “excellent start,” but the government would not stop there. “We plan that after Manchester, flights to London and Birmingham will also be started,” he said.
The minister directed the PIA management to ensure safety, punctuality, and customer satisfaction. “Let us vow today to make PIA reach the status it had once achieved,” he said.
In a post on X, Asif said the restoration of flights was part of a series of measures taken by the government for the restoration of national institutions, improvement of public facilities, and the promotion of Pakistan’s image at the international level.
He said that the statement of the aviation minister during the PTI era “caused damage to the reputation of our beloved country, the aviation sector, and the national airline PIA, which the current government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has rectified”.
“The resumption of direct flights from Islamabad to Manchester marks the beginning of a new era of connectivity between Pakistan and the UK, which will provide significant convenience to the Pakistani community residing there,” Asif said.
Meanwhile, Marriott, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, said: “A genuine joy to wave off the first flight by a Pakistani carrier to the UK in five years. Here’s to more destinations and connections!”
The EASA had barred PIA from operating in EU countries in June 2020 over safety concerns after a flight from Lahore to Karachi crashed near the Jinnah International Airport, killing around 100 passengers.
The ban on flights followed the then aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan’s statement on the floor of parliament terming pilots’ licences “dubious”.
EASA lifted the ban after more than four years on Nov 28 last year. In July 2025, the UK removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, allowing Pakistani airlines to apply to operate flights in Britain.
It should also be mentioned that the government is making efforts to sell the struggling national flag carrier, which has accumulated over $2.5 billion in losses in roughly a decade. In June, it received expressions of interest from five parties, including business groups and a military-owned firm.
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