PIA decides to operate flights to UK

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to resume flight to the United Kingdom (UK) after Pakistan came off UK’s red list, ARY News reported on Friday.

The national carrier decided to start chartered flights to the UK. It was learnt that PIA will operate flights to Manchester and London from Islamabad through a chartered company.

Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom (UK) removed Pakistan from its travel red list after the British authorities updated its travel advisory.

According to details, Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Maldives and Oman are among eight countries that came off the UK red list in the recent review. Pakistan and other countries are included in the rest of the world list.

READ: BRITISH MPS CRITICISE UK GOVT FOR KEEPING PAKISTAN ON ‘RED LIST’

UK’s Secretary of State for Transport also confirmed the move from his Twitter handle.

On September 2, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar had said that Pakistan is likely to be off the red list of the United Kingdom (UK) on September 16.

It is important to mention here that Pakistan had been retained on UK’s red list in the updated travel advisory for countries barred from flying into the kingdom.

British lawmakers had also criticised their government for keeping Pakistan on its ‘red list’ whilst promoting India to the ‘amber list’ for international travel despite a clear difference in the COVID-19 situation in both countries.