Asian – Dispatch

Post-privatisation revival drives international route expansion

Pakistan International Airlines will resume direct flights from Islamabad and Lahore to London Heathrow on 29 and 30 March 2026, Federal Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Thursday.

The resumption comes after the December 2025 privatisation, when a consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation acquired a 75% stake in PIA for Rs135 billion, ending years of stalled efforts to sell the loss-making carrier.

Asif credited the British High Commission, UK Department for Transport, Ministry of Defence, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, and PIA for facilitating the milestone, calling it part of the airline’s broader international expansion to Europe, Canada, and the USA.

He said the government is working to expand PIA’s fleet and restore direct flights to additional global destinations, praising rapid operational improvements since privatisation.

The minister also congratulated Pakistanis in the UK and described the move as a significant step in transforming the country’s aviation sector.

Source: Pakistan Today