At an iftar dinner in London, attended by journalists, social media influencers, and prominent guests, Dr. Faisal revealed that PIA will initially restore flights from London and Manchester to Pakistan. He also mentioned plans to resume services from Birmingham in the near future.

The High Commissioner highlighted that the flight resumption will be marked by a formal opening ceremony, with media invited to cover the event.

He clarified that the return of flights is unrelated to any operational issues regarding aircraft landings. This move comes as Pakistan looks to strengthen its aviation ties with the UK, following a long suspension of direct flights.

PIA resumed its European operations on January 10, 2025, with its first flight to Paris, after a four-and-a-half-year ban by the European Union.

The EU had suspended PIA’s flight operations in June 2020 following a tragic plane crash in Karachi. The situation worsened after the then-Aviation Minister revealed in Parliament that several pilots had been hired with fake licenses, raising safety concerns.

After significant regulatory improvements and safety compliance measures, the EU lifted the ban, allowing PIA to resume services to European destinations.