ISLAMABAD: The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a safety audit of Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), a move that could pave the way for the restoration of direct flights between Pakistan and the US.
According to sources, a five-member FAA team is in Pakistan to assess multiple areas of the CAA’s operations. The outcome of this inspection will decide whether Pakistan can regain Category 1 aviation status, a prerequisite for direct flights to the United States.
Pakistan lost this status in 2020 following the pilot license scandal, which revealed that several Pakistani pilots had obtained fake credentials. The downgrade to Category 2 barred Pakistani airlines, including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), from operating direct routes to the US.
Officials said the CAA has already begun reviewing PIA’s safety and operational standards to bring them in line with international benchmarks.
The FAA team is expected to complete its audit by September 12. If the review proves successful, direct air links between the two countries could soon be restored, marking the first such development in years.
This is also the first visit by American aviation authorities to Pakistan in many years, further raising optimism for improved aviation ties between Islamabad and Washington.
