Latest news with #PakistanCivilAviationAuthority
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UK lifts ban on Pakistani airlines after improvement in air safety standards
The UK has lifted a years-long ban on Pakistani airlines following improvements in the country's aviation safety standards, the British diplomatic mission in Islamabad said. The Air Safety Committee imposed the ban after Pakistan's aviation minister in June 2020 disclosed that nearly one-third of the country's pilots had cheated on their licensing exams. The claim came after a Pakistan International Airlines crash killed 97 people on May 24, 2020, in the southern city of Karachi. Wednesday's announcement follows a broader international recognition of Pakistan's efforts to improve air safety. #PIA is all set to resume flights to 🇬🇧 It became possible after adherence to the most stringent flight safety standards, reviewed by the UK's Air Safety Committee. Special thanks to @PakPMO, @KhawajaMAsif, @OfficialPCAA, @ukinpakistan & @JaneMarriottUK for personal interest &… — PIA (@Official_PIA) July 16, 2025 Earlier this year, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency also lifted its five-year ban, allowing the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines to resume direct flights to Europe. British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said that after 'extensive engagement' between the UK's Air Safety Committee and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, restrictions on Pakistani airlines have now been lifted. However, Ms Marriott said individual airlines will still need to apply for operating permits from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. 'I'm grateful to aviation experts in both the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work to meet international safety standards,' she said. 'While it will take time for flights to resume, once the logistics are in place, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends.' The high commission emphasised that decisions on delisting countries or carriers from the UK Air Safety List are made through an independent safety process overseen by the Air Safety Committee. With more than 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the UK, and thousands of British nationals residing in Pakistan, it said the move will help families to reconnect and potentially boost bilateral trade ties. Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif welcomed the decision. Speaking at a televised news conference on Wednesday, he attributed the ban to what he described as 'baseless' remarks made by former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan. He said Mr Khan's claim tarnished the country's image and triggered significant financial losses for Pakistan International Airlines.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
UK removes Pakistan from air safety list
In a major development for the country's aviation sector, the UK's Air Safety Committee, following air safety improvements, has lifted its restrictions on Pakistani carriers. Individual airline carriers will still need to apply for permits to operate to the UK through the UK Civil Aviation Authority, read a statement released by the British High Commission. 'I'm grateful to aviation experts in the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work to drive improvements to meet international safety standards,' said Jane Marriott, British High Commissioner. 'While it will take time for flights to resume, once the logistics are in place, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends.' Decisions on de-listing states and air carriers from the UK Air Safety List are made through an independent aviation safety process. This is overseen by the UK's Air Safety Committee, which has been closely engaging with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority over several years, it said. The committee has judged that necessary safety improvements have been made since its original decision in 2021. Therefore, based on this independent and technically-driven process, it has decided to remove Pakistan and its air carriers from the list. With over 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the UK and thousands of British nationals in Pakistan, today's announcement brings opportunities to make it easier for families to reunite, read the statement. The UK is Pakistan's third-largest trading partner, with a bilateral relationship worth £4.7 billion. Any ease in travel between both countries will help this important trade relationship to thrive.
Express Tribune
29-06-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Rain havoc grounds light aircraft in Karachi
PCAA informed PPRA that there were serious anomalies in the examination system of pilots, pointed out in July last year by a high-level inquiry. PHOTO: FILE Monsoon rains and associated gusty winds forced authorities at Jinnah International Airport on Saturday to ground small training aircraft as a precaution, while weather-related incidents raised fresh concerns over aviation safety at one of the country's busiest terminals. According to sources, light-weight aircraft such as Cessna and Piper models were ordered to halt flight operations due to reduced visibility and unstable wind conditions around Karachi airport and its surroundings. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) directed that all single-engine planes be grounded as a safety measure.
Business Recorder
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Karachi Airport's main runway upgrade reaches 53%, says PCAA
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) on Wednesday announced that the upgradation of Runway 07L/25R at Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) has reached 53% completion by the end of May 2025, exceeding the planned target of 51%. 'The project, which began in July 2024, is progressing on schedule and is expected to be completed by January 2026,' PCAA said in a statement. The authority informed that double shift operations are ongoing at the site 'to ensure timely delivery of this vital national infrastructure'. PCAA shared that a key milestone was achieved with the arrival of the first shipment of imported Airfield Lighting (AFL) equipment at the project site. 'In preparation for the deployment of this advanced system, PAA engineers have successfully completed training abroad,' it said. 'Valued at Rs8.3 billion, the JIAP Runway Upgradation Project reflects the Authority's commitment to enhancing airport infrastructure across Pakistan,' it added. Once completed, the upgrade will allow Karachi Airport to achieve Category 4F status, making it capable of handling wide-body aircraft with higher operational requirements. This upgrade is expected to attract both domestic and international airlines to operate at JIAP in the future. Upon completion of the upgrade, it will feature the latest energy-efficient LED CAT-I Airfield Lighting System with runway centreline lights. The project also includes an extension of the runway by 1,000 feet, making it 11,500 feet. Reconstruction of taxiways and overruns at both ends, and asphaltic overlay of four taxi links near the 07L end.
Indian Express
18-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
In need of extensive repairs after Indian airstrikes, Pakistan's Rahim Yar Khan airbase runway closure extended till June 6
Pakistan has extended the closure of the sole runway at its Rahim Yar Khan airbase—hit and damaged by India's military strikes last Saturday (May 10)—till the morning of June 6. On the day of the airstrike, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority had issued a notice to airmen, or NOTAM, saying that the runway at the airbase will be unavailable for flight operations for a week—till 4:59 am Pakistan time (5:29 IST) on Sunday (May 18). However, according to a new NOTAM that has replaced the previous notice, now the runway will not be available till 4:59 am Pakistan time on June 6. This indicates that the extensive runway repairs needed after India's precision strikes may be taking longer than earlier anticipated. Like the previous NOTAM, the new notice also said that closure is due to work in progress, without going into specifics, and that the runway will not be available for flight operations. Rahim Yar Khan, which is in the southern part of Pakistan's Punjab province and faces the Rajasthan frontier, has a dual-purpose airport—it is home to a forward operational base of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Central Air Command and the Sheikh Zayed International Airport. Satellite images released by the Indian armed forces in the days that followed the airstrike show a large and deep crater in the middle of the Rahim Yar Khan airbase runway caused by an Indian airstrike. Satellite imagery also showed extensive damage to a building at the airbase. 'RWY NOT AVBL FOR FLT OPERATION WIP.,' stated the initial as well as the latest NOTAM about Rahim Yar Khan airbase runway. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), use of the code 'WIP' in a NOTAM refers to work in progress. As per the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 'WIP' describes any work being done on the airport surface. Given that the NOTAM specifically mentions the runway at the airbase, it indicates that work in progress is on the runway itself. The airbase's sole runway—Runway 01/19—has a bituminous surface and is 3,000 metres or 9,843 feet in length, per airport data available on Flightradar24. The airbase was one the multiple key Pakistani military targets that India hit amid a military conflict that lasted four days, before the two nuclear-powered neighbours arrived at a ceasefire understanding on the evening of May 10. The airbase was among the six Pakistani military targets hit on May 10—Rafiki, Murid, Chaklala, Sukkur and Juniya being the other five—by India using 'air-launched precision weapons' from Indian fighter aircraft. The Indian response followed Pakistan's 'escalatory' and 'provocative' actions in which it attempted air intrusions at multiple locations, which were thwarted by the Indian armed forces. India and Pakistan engaged in the worst fighting in decades in the wake of India's precision strikes at nine terror infrastructure locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of 'Operation Sindoor' in the wee hours on May 7. These strikes were in response to the deadly attack at Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 people, almost all of them tourists, were gunned down by Pakistan-backed terrorists. Following India's precision strikes at terror infrastructure early on May 7, the tensions saw a major escalation with Pakistan launching drone and missile attacks against India all along the Line of Control and the international border, and India neutralising Pakistani attacks and retaliating with strikes at Pakistani military assets in various parts of that country. Sukalp Sharma is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and writes on a host of subjects and sectors, notably energy and aviation. He has over 13 years of experience in journalism with a body of work spanning areas like politics, development, equity markets, corporates, trade, and economic policy. He considers himself an above-average photographer, which goes well with his love for travel. ... Read More
