Islamabad, Dec 15: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is set to resume flights to the United States after a seven-year suspension, marking a milestone for the country’s aviation sector, ARY News reports.
Resumption of US Flights
The suspension, which began in 2017, halted six weekly flights to the US, including four to New York and two to Chicago.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pakistan to resolve pending financial obligations. Pakistan expects to make the payments soon, and the FAA delegation plans to visit the country by February or March.
DG CAA Nadir Shafi Dar expressed optimism that the FAA will upgrade Pakistan to “Category One” status, enabling the resumption of direct flights to the US.
Privatisation Efforts
In parallel, the government is intensifying efforts to privatise PIA through government-to-government (G2G) agreements, with a December 31 deadline. Abu Dhabi and Qatar have shown significant interest in acquiring stakes, and discussions are underway.
To attract investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) is offering incentives to facilitate a smooth transition during the privatisation process. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb recently announced plans to privatise PIA and three power distribution companies by the year’s end, though delays have occurred due to low bidder interest, legal challenges, and operational issues.
This development signals potential revitalisation of PIA’s operations and opportunities for foreign investment in Pakistan’s aviation sector.
