Pakistan to resume PIA flights to UK

Islamabad: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) considering to resume flights to Britain in the next three months, Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Friday. 

Saad announced the statement in front of lawmakers, claiming that this week's passage of new legislation had eliminated the final barrier to the national airline's flight to the UK.

"God willing, the PIA flights will resume at least to the UK in three months, and, later, flights to Europe and America will resume," he stated.

PIA to resume flights for UK in next three months.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) terminated PIA's licence to fly to the EU in 2020 as a result of a fake pilot controversy in the South Asian country, which led to the suspension of the airline's flights to Europe and England.

Earlier, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad on Thursday stated that the work on ML-1 project will begin by the end of this year.

Speaking to the media in Lahore on Thursday, minister claimed that the project's cost has ballooned as a result of the previous administration's lack of interest.

He stated that the ML-I project negotiations have advanced and expressed optimism that a deal would be reached before the end of the current year.

Saad said that the railway track between Kotri and Larkana, which was affected by heavy rain and flooding the year before, has been fixed.

Following a one-year suspension of rail service, the railway track was reopened when the passenger train Mohen Jo Daro Express departed for Rohri.

The minister of the federal railways observed the inauguration via video link.

The restored railway line at Kotri Station was officially opened by Divisional Superintendent of Railways for Karachi Muhammad Nasir Khalili. Between Kotri Station and Sehwan, the railway experienced damage by floods at three different locations last year.