ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has allowed Britain’s Norse Atlantic to operate flights to the South Asian country, the Pakistani defense minister announced late Thursday, days after privatization of the state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

The UK is home to over 1.6 million Pakistanis. PIA had resumed its flight operations to the UK in October last year after Britain lifted a ban on Pakistani carriers in July, nearly half a decade after grounding them over a pilot licensing scandal.

The Pakistani airline, which began operating three weekly flights to Manchester, is set to operate direct flights to London in March, its spokesperson confirmed late last month, following the privatization of the debt-ridden carrier.

In a post on X late Thursday, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced the South Asian country approved the designation of Norse Atlantic, which will operate direct flights from London, Manchester and Birmingham to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

“The increase in operations of international airlines to Pakistan will promote a competitive environment leading to world class service and balance in fares,” he said.

Meanwhile, PIA will operate London flights from Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4, which the airline said is recognized as one of its most modern terminals.

“London was PIA’s very first international destination and remains one of its most important and attractive routes,” the airline spokesperson said. ““Starting Mar. 29, PIA will operate four weekly flights from Islamabad to London.”

Pakistan’s government succeeded in its efforts to privatize PIA on Dec. 23, when a consortium, led by Arif Habib Group, secured a 75 percent stake in the airline for Rs135 billion ($482 million) after several rounds of bidding, valuing the airline at Rs180 billion ($643 million).

The sale marked Pakistan’s most aggressive attempt in decades to reform the debt-ridden national airline, which had accumulated more than $2.8 billion in financial losses. The government said it would end decades of state-funded bailouts and help revive the airline.