Pakistan welcomes UK decision to unban Pakistani airlines

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday warmly welcomed the decision by the UK Air Safety Committee to remove its airline carriers from the UK Air Safety List, allowing the resumption of commercial flights to the United Kingdom after a five-year hiatus.“This landmark decision is an affirmation of Pakistan’s sustained diplomatic and technical efforts over the past years. We have demonstrated our firm commitment to meeting and upholding the highest international safety standards,” Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement.He said that the removal of the ban marked an important restoration of connectivity between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, supporting millions of Pakistanis living in the UK and strengthening economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties.He said that with over 1.7 million British Pakistanis forming one of the largest diaspora communities in the UK, the resumption of direct flights promised significant benefits for families, businesses, tourism, and trade.“Pakistan expresses its gratitude to the United Kingdom for acknowledging Pakistan’s commitment to aviation safety and cooperating constructively throughout the evaluation process,” the spokesperson added.