Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will resume flights to Britain next month, ending a five-year suspension as Islamabad prepares to privatise the national carrier under its IMF bailout.
The airline said on Wednesday it had received clearance from Britain to operate passenger and cargo flights. Services will begin from Manchester before being expanded to Birmingham and London.
Britain and the European Union banned PIA in 2020 after Pakistan’s then aviation minister admitted that some pilots held fraudulent licences. The EU lifted its ban last November after Pakistan met new aviation safety standards.
The resumption comes as Islamabad presses ahead with plans to privatise PIA, a requirement of its $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout. The carrier last reported a pre-tax profit this month — its first in 20 years.
Five Pakistani business groups have shown interest in acquiring the airline, including Airblue, Lucky Cement, investment firm Arif Habib, and military-linked Fauji Fertilizer. Final bids are expected later in 2025.
Direct flights to Britain are among PIA’s most profitable routes, and the carrier hopes reopening the market will boost its value ahead of privatisation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's aircraft was nearly struck by a drone while departing Moldova on ...
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the st...
Georgia’s International Maritime Forum has closed in Batumi with officials setting out investment targets, timelines and technical plans aime...
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
Indonesia has reopened Jakarta's main airport and four others after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau forced widespread flight cancellations, though fresh eruptions have kept authorities on alert.
Kazakhstan is stepping up investment in the Middle Corridor as rising freight volumes and demand for more diverse trade links drive the rapid expansion of the route connecting Asia and Europe.
Georgia’s International Maritime Forum has closed in Batumi with officials setting out investment targets, timelines and technical plans aimed at expanding the Middle Corridor and strengthening the country’s role in global trade.
Iran says it has delivered on its promise of a “faster, heavier and more painful” response to Washington, striking U.S. bases, warships and commercial vessels early on Wednesday.
Central Asian foreign ministers have marked 20 years since a landmark nuclear-free treaty, reaffirming their commitment to regional security, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
Saudi Arabia’s international leisure tourism industry is forecast to grow by 93 per cent between 2025 and 2030, as the kingdom expands beyond religious travel. The figures were presented during WTM Spotlight Riyadh, where industry leaders discussed the growing tourism market.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment