KARACHI: Britain’s Department of Transport has made “no decision” yet regarding the Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) restricted status in the United Kingdom (UK), a PIA spokesman said on Tuesday.
PIA was slapped with a ban by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), UK and United States (US) authorities after Pakistan opened an investigation into the validity of pilots’ licenses following a deadly PIA plane crash in Karachi that killed 97 people in May 2020.
PIA resumed its operations in Europe in Jan. after EASA lifted its ban, however, the debt-ridden airline still remains barred from flying to the UK and the US. A delegation of the UK’s Department for Transport also visited Pakistan this year to evaluate the airline’s safety standards.
Pakistani officials have expressed hopes that PIA will resume flights to the UK in the next three months, but some local media outlets reported on Tuesday that the UK authorities had decided to keep the airline on their air safety list.
“No announcement has been made by the British Department of Transport nor has any letter been received,” PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan told Arab News. “No decision has been taken by the British Department of Transport yet.”
Khan said all Pakistani institutions related to aviation were in constant contact with the British authorities and carrying out their work in unison.
“Any speculation in this regard should be avoided,” he added.
Cash-strapped Pakistan is looking to privatize the debt-ridden PIA to raise funds amid an effort to reform state-owned enterprises under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program secured last year.
Late last year, a deal fell through after a potential buyer reportedly offered $36 million for a 60 percent stake in the national flag carrier, a fraction of the asking price of approximately $303 million. Officials say PIA’s cumulative losses alone are close to $3 billion, with the total asset valuation of the airline standing at approximately $572 million.
Pakistan hopes new European routes and flying approval to the UK will boost PIA’s selling potential.
‘No decision’ yet on Pakistan International Airlines’ restricted status in UK — PIA spokesman
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‘No decision’ yet on Pakistan International Airlines’ restricted status in UK — PIA spokesman
- The statement comes after some local media outlets reported that British authorities had decided to continue their restrictions on the airline
- The debt-ridden airline was slapped with a ban by European, UK and US authorities after a pilots’ licensing scandal emerged out of a 2020 plane crash
Pakistan, China to sign multiple MoUs at major agriculture investment conference today
- Hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani firms to attend Islamabad event
- Conference seen as part of expanding CPEC ties into agriculture, trade
KARACHI: Islamabad and Beijing are set to sign multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to boost agricultural investment and cooperation at a major conference taking place in the capital tomorrow, Monday, with hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani companies expected to participate.
The conference is being billed by Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research as a platform for deepening bilateral agricultural ties and supporting broader economic engagement between the two countries.
“Multiple memorandums of understanding will be signed at the Pakistan–China Agricultural Conference,” the Ministry of National Food Security said in a statement. “115 Chinese and 165 Pakistani companies will participate.”
The conference reflects a growing emphasis on expanding Pakistan-China economic cooperation beyond the transport and energy foundations of the flagship China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into agriculture, industry and technology.
Under its first phase launched in 2015, CPEC, a core component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, focused primarily on transportation infrastructure, energy generation and connectivity projects linking western China to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan. That phase included motorways, power plants and the development of the Gwadar Port in the country's southwest, aimed at helping Pakistan address chronic power shortages and enhance transport connectivity.
In recent years, both governments have formally moved toward a “CPEC 2.0” phase aimed at diversifying the corridor’s impact into areas such as special economic zones, innovation, digital cooperation and agriculture. Second-phase discussions have highlighted Pakistan’s goal of modernizing its agricultural sector, attracting Chinese technology and investment, and boosting export potential, with high-level talks taking place between planning officials and investors in Beijing.
Agri-sector cooperation has also seen practical collaboration, with joint initiatives examining technology transfer, export protocols and value-chain development, including partnerships in livestock, mechanization and horticulture.
Organizers say the Islamabad conference will bring together government policymakers, private sector investors, industry associations and multinational agribusiness firms from both nations. Discussions will center on investment opportunities, technology adoption, export expansion and building linkages with global buyers within the framework of Pakistan-China economic cooperation.
