Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will resume direct flights to the United Kingdom by the end of February.
In an interview with ARY, he also revealed that PIA plans to launch flights to 19 European cities, including Barcelona and Milan, as well as to the United States and Canada.
Asif said that these developments will enhance PIA’s value, making it more appealing for privatization.
On Friday, the state-owned airline resumed direct flights to Europe after the European Union’s aviation safety agency lifted a four-year ban on PIA.
The ban had been imposed in 2020 following the tragic crash of a PIA plane in Karachi, which killed 97 people.
The investigation revealed that many Pakistani pilots had falsified their exams, and a subsequent government inquiry determined that pilot error was the cause of the crash.
![This handout photo released by the IRGC’s official Sepah News Telegram channel shows smoke billowing from a site bombed by Israel in Tehran early on June 13, 2025 [Sepah News/AFP]](https://mmnews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Israel-attack-on-Iran-1-350x250.jpg)
