ISLAMABAD: A top Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) official announced on Monday the country’s national air carrier was hoping to begin direct flights to Sydney, Australia, from next month to facilitate travelers between the two countries.

PIA lost some of its most lucrative international destinations after a tragic plane crash in Karachi which happened in May 2020. The incident was followed by federal aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan’s statement that 40 percent of pilots in the country had fake or dubious licenses.

Hundreds of Pakistani pilots working with international organizations were immediately grounded and aviation regulatory agencies in the developed world prohibited PIA from flying to the countries under their jurisdiction.

“Pakistan’s national airlines PIA plans to operate non-stop direct flights to Sydney, Australia, and arrangements are being finalized,” said an official statement. “This was stated by CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik during a meeting with Australian Deputy High Commissioner Joanne Frederiksen at Islamabad.”

The statement said Malik discussed the idea of operating these flights from April 22 during Eid holidays.

“Initially, PIA will operate one flight per week from Lahore to Sydney which will be increased to two flights,” it added.

Malik also expressed his satisfaction at the “meaningful & productive interaction” with the senior Australian diplomat in a Twitter post.

Earlier this year, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced to perform its own evaluation of the safety standards practiced by Pakistan’s national air carrier after the International Civil Aviation Organization decided to give the airlines a clean chit after performing an audit.

PIA also managed to secure licenses to operate commercial flights to two more Chinese cities in the beginning of this month.