PIA resumes direct UK flights Oct. 25 after UK lifted restrictions, reconnecting diaspora and boosting trade.

Pakistan International Airlines will resume direct flights to the UK starting October 25, with initial service between Islamabad and Manchester, followed by expansions to Birmingham and London. The move follows the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s issuance of a Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit, the final regulatory hurdle, after the UK lifted restrictions on Pakistani carriers in July. The resumption, welcomed by the Pakistani High Commission, aims to reconnect over 1.7 million Pakistani diaspora members and strengthen bilateral ties, with trade between the nations valued at £4.7 billion annually. PIA has also secured Third Country Operator approval and is pushing forward with privatization efforts amid longstanding financial losses.