KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) received clearance from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in a remote audit, marking a significant step towards the resumption of the national carrier’s flights to European destinations.

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Sources indicate that the online audit of PIA was conducted by EASA a few months ago, and the physical audit of both PIA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in September.

Upon successful completion of the final audit, PIA’s flights to Europe will be reinstated, significantly boosting the airline’s operations.

PIA had been banned from flying to European countries since June 2020, following the crash of flight PK-8303 in Karachi on May 22, 2020, and the subsequent discovery of suspected irregularities involving 262 airline pilots.

In response to the European Union’s demand for rectifying past deficiencies leading to the flight suspension, the government recently amended aviation laws, including the Pakistan Civil Aviation Act, 2023, and the Pakistan Airports Authority Act, 2023.

The National Assembly expedited the passage of these aviation bills, responding to pressure from the EU, as the government aimed to reconnect and resume flight operations to Europe, the UK, the US, and other nations.

Federal Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique announced that PIA is likely to resume flights to the UK within the next three months after the new legislation removed the final obstacle for the airline.

While details about the legislation were not provided, Rafique emphasized that the resumption of services to Britain would precede flights to European destinations, with flights to Europe and the US to follow later.

The aviation bills focused on bifurcating the Civil Aviation Authority into two entities, one responsible for regulations of civil aviation activities in Pakistan and the other for providing civil aviation services and developing aviation infrastructure.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) was assigned responsibilities related to airports’ commercial and operational aspects. With the EASA’s clearance and the recent legislative amendments, PIA is on track to restore its European flight operations soon.