Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the Senate on Tuesday that the European Union (EU) has lifted its ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), opening the way for the national carrier to restart flights to Paris and other European destinations.
The minister recalled that the ban was imposed after “irresponsible remarks” by a former minister regarding pilots’ licences, which had inflicted unprecedented financial losses on PIA and tarnished Pakistan’s international reputation.
He noted that ten routes had been suspended for periods ranging from seven months to four years. While some were affected by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) restrictions, others were discontinued due to traffic trends and commercial reasons.
Dr. Chaudhry clarified that PIA had not added any new aircraft during this time but, in line with global airline practices, had diverted planes from low-demand routes to high-demand ones. The suspended connections included Islamabad–Paris, Lahore–Baku, Turbat–Sharjah, Turbat–Al Ain, Gwadar–Muscat, Quetta–Jeddah, Faisalabad–Jeddah, Faisalabad–Madinah, Lahore–Kuwait and Karachi–Peshawar.
During supplementary questions, Senator Dinesh Kumar drew attention to the 55-hour delay of PIA flight PK-734 in Paris on August 8, cautioning that such incidents could hinder the airline’s recovery. The minister responded that technical faults were a routine challenge for airlines worldwide, adding that the Paris disruption was caused by a mechanical issue that had been resolved before service resumed.
Senator Dr. Mayoon Memon observed that several suspended routes — such as Sharjah, Al Ain, Muscat, Jeddah and Madinah — were unrelated to the EU ban, and emphasized that flights from smaller cities like Quetta and Faisalabad should not be compromised.
Reiterating the airline’s stance, Dr. Chaudhry said route decisions were guided by profitability, passenger demand, and operational viability. He assured the Senate that PIA remained committed to service improvements and that the government was weighing long-term restructuring measures for the national carrier.
