Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the Senate on Tuesday that the European Union (EU) has lifted its ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), clearing the way for the resumption of flights to Paris and other European destinations.
Responding to queries during the Senate session, the minister said the ban — imposed after “irresponsible remarks” by a former minister regarding pilots’ licences — had inflicted massive financial losses on PIA and dealt a serious blow to Pakistan’s international credibility.
He revealed that PIA had been forced to suspend ten routes for durations ranging from seven months to four years. While some were grounded due to restrictions by the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), others were discontinued because of passenger demand and commercial factors.
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Clarifying PIA’s fleet situation, Dr. Chaudhry stated that the airline did not acquire new aircraft during the period. Instead, like many international carriers, it shifted planes from low-demand to high-demand sectors. The suspended routes included Islamabad–Paris, Lahore–Baku, Turbat–Sharjah, Turbat–Al Ain, Gwadar–Muscat, Quetta–Jeddah, Faisalabad–Jeddah, Faisalabad–Madinah, Lahore–Kuwait, and Karachi–Peshawar.