Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan Thursday said, flight operations for Europe are likely to resume in February and March after the clearance from the International Civil Aviation Organization. Addressing a press conference, the minister said, a 10-member validation committee of ICAO visited Pakistan from November 29 to December 10 and thoroughly inspected the entire system of Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, Airline and air traffic control.
The ICAO team cleared a safety audit report, he said adding that the CAA addressed all reservations of the ICAO regarding safety measures. The minister said, they were planning to resume Pakistan International Airline flight operations for Europe. Flights for three stations in the UK including London, Birmingham and Manchester were being planned in mid-February. Similarly, they have planned PIA flights for Paris, Oslo and Denmark while five flights for Canada in a week, he added. He said, three flights have also been planned for Bishkek, Baku and Tashkent owing to enhance trade relations with these countries. The minister said, two A-320 aircrafts were inducted in the PIA fleet during 2021 while four new A-320 air crafts would be introduced in mid-2022. PIA also acquired ownership of 6 air crafts including B777 after the expiry of their leases, he added.
He said, PIA airlifted around half a million Pakistani stranded in various countries during COVID-19 despite various restriction. After the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban, PIA carried out evacuation operations from Afghanistan despite a risk, he added. He said thousands of foreigners were evacuated from Afghanistan during the said operation. The minister said during restrictions, PIA successfully operated flight operations to Damascus, Najaf and Mashhad to promote religious tourism and facilitate ‘Zaireen’. It was the aim of the government to bring improvement and reforms in aviation, he added. He said the Supreme Court of Pakistan has also directed the government to check the credential of employees. On the direction of the SC, education credentials of all PIA employees were checked, he said.
