Pakistan Pushes for Resumption of Direct US Flights After Ban
Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic efforts to restore direct commercial flights to the United States, following recent high-level talks in Islamabad between Pakistani and US officials. The Pakistani Interior Ministry announced that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapoor to discuss the issue. Direct flights were suspended after the US, along with the UK and EU, banned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the wake of a fatal Airbus A-320 crash in Karachi in May 2020. The disaster, which killed nearly 100 people, was linked to pilot error and subsequent revelations that a significant portion of PIA pilots held fraudulent licenses. Although PIA was privatized in December, the ban remains in effect. Minister Naqvi expressed a strong desire for an early resumption of services, arguing that restoring direct links would enhance Pakistan's international credibility and support its aviation sector. Beyond aviation, the discussions also covered broader bilateral relations, including cooperation on security, counter-terrorism, and counter-narcotics initiatives.
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