**PIA to Resume Flights to the UK After Eidul Fitr**
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is set to resume flights to the United Kingdom (UK) after Eidul Fitr, following the lifting of the European Union ban, according to Pakistan HC Mohammad Faisal.
Dr. Mohammad Faisal announced that PIA flights to the UK will officially restart after the religious holiday.
Speaking at an Iftar dinner with journalists and TikTok influencers in London, Dr. Faisal revealed that the initial phase will see flights operating between London, Manchester, and Pakistan. Efforts are also underway to re-establish flights from Birmingham.
A special ceremony, with media representatives present, will be held to formally mark the resumption of flights.
This news follows PIA’s first flight to Paris on January 10, 2024, which ended a four-and-a-half-year suspension after the European Union lifted its ban.
The ban was originally imposed in June 2020, following a PIA plane crash in Karachi and a subsequent controversial statement in Parliament by the then Aviation Minister, which revealed that some pilots had been hired with fake licenses.
In related news, the privatization process for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has picked up speed, with several major groups expressing interest in acquiring the airline.
Sources report that Arif Habib Group, Taba Group, and YB Holdings are among those interested, and key meetings have taken place in Islamabad to discuss the potential acquisition. These groups have reportedly indicated their willingness to proceed with the acquisition, contingent on their conditions being met.