Pakistan has resumed direct flights to the United Kingdom after five years of suspension due to an aviation accident.

The Pakistani airline Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed direct flights to the United Kingdom on Saturday, marking an important return after five years of suspension due to aviation security reasons. The suspension was imposed following an accident in May 2020, in which a PIA Airbus crashed in Karachi, resulting in 97 deaths.

British authorities lifted the flight ban in July, considering that security regulations in Pakistan are now in compliance with international standards. The inaugural flight between Islamabad and Manchester was praised by Pakistani officials as a significant step in restoring PIA's international credibility. The company will initially operate two weekly flights, with plans to expand to London and Birmingham, and in January 2025, PIA intends to resume flights to Paris.