Islamabad — Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and Member of National Assembly Sehar Kamran has hailed the lifting of air safety restrictions on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) by the United Kingdom, calling it a major breakthrough for Pakistan's aviation sector and its overseas diaspora.

In a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Kamran congratulated @Official_PIA and commended the years of effort made in collaboration with the UK Air Safety Committee, leading to the long-awaited resumption of PIA flights to the United Kingdom.

“Congrats @Official_PIA on the UK lifting air safety restrictions! 🎉 A big win after years of hard work with the UK Air Safety Committee. Reuniting 1.6M Pakistanis in the UK & boosting £4.7B trade awaits. Safe skies ahead!✈️,” she posted.

In a follow-up tweet, Kamran confirmed that PIA flights to the UK will resume from 14th August 2025, symbolically coinciding with Pakistan’s Independence Day. However, she did not shy away from highlighting the financial damage caused by previous government actions.

“Alhamdulillah! PIA flights to the UK resume on 14th August 2025. However, the $600M loss and damages from the controversial statement by ex-Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan must be recovered. Justice can't be swept under the rug!”

The reference points to the 2020 aviation crisis, when a controversial statement by then Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan regarding "fake pilot licenses" led to the suspension of PIA’s operations in the UK and Europe, triggering massive financial losses and reputational damage to the national carrier.

Kamran emphasized that those responsible must be held accountable and that the financial setbacks suffered by PIA should not be ignored in the wake of this new beginning.

The lifting of the UK ban is seen as a significant development for Pakistan's aviation and trade sectors, promising renewed connectivity for over 1.6 million Pakistanis living in the UK and expected to positively impact £4.7 billion in bilateral trade.