The European Aviation Authority is set to announce its decision on the request of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to lift the ban on Pakistani airlines operating in the European Union.
The decision comes after a crucial three-day meeting of the European Air Safety Committee held in Brussels from 19 to 21 November.
The committee reviewed the safety oversight procedures implemented by the Civil Aviation Authority and deliberated on the third country licensing permit for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Officials from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) briefed the meeting on the findings of the report submitted by the Civil Aviation Authority, which highlighted improvements in aviation safety protocols.
The ban on PIA, imposed four years ago, was triggered by controversial comments made by a minister about the validity of pilot licences, raising safety concerns. Following the suspension of PIA operations by the UK and several EU countries in 2020, the Civil Aviation Authority is actively working to address these issues and restore access to European airspace.
The Express Tribune newspaper reported, citing sources, that the European Air Safety Committee will announce its decision on December 6.