Alhamdulillah. After a grueling five-year exile, the green and white livery of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has finally been welcomed back into the skies of Europe and the United Kingdom.

The ties that are knotted with hands often require careful and rigours efforts to untangle. A truth that holds particular relevance for Pakistan, a country that has endured economic strain, political turbulence, and an erosion of its international standing over recent years. Few episodes illustrate this more clearly than the crisis that engulfed PIA in 2020, when ill-considered public remarks by the aviation minister triggered a cascade of global restrictions. Within days, PIA’s flights were barred from Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plunging the national carrier into operational paralysis, reputational harm, and financial losses exceeding Rs 200 billion.

Recognising the scale and subtlety of this setback, the current government through coordinated efforts by the Foreign Office, the Aviation Division, and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, embarked on a comprehensive recovery effort. The strategy combined diplomatic engagement with comprehensive regulatory reforms, enhanced safety training, and strict compliance with international standards. These measures matured in 2024 and 2025, culminating in the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) lifting its restrictions and paving the way for PIA’s long-awaited return to Europe.

When the first post-ban PIA aircraft touched down in Paris on 10 January 2025, it represented........

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