UK grants PIA cargo license after successful audit

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has secured a significant achievement as the United Kingdom’s Department for Transport (DfT) issued the national carrier a cargo licence following a successful audit.

According to details, the licence allows PIA to transport cargo directly from Pakistan to the UK.

The approval was granted after an on-site audit jointly conducted by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the British inspection team.

The UK Department for Transport formally authorized PIA to operate cargo flights, marking a positive step for the airline’s international operations.

The newly granted licence has been issued for a period of five years, enabling PIA to expand its cargo services and strengthen trade connectivity between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

According to the report, as of the audit’s completion on 30 June 2024, the said outstanding dues had still not been recovered.

The report criticised PIA for failing to adopt an adequate recovery strategy and for not convening a Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) meeting before the finalisation of the audit report.

Auditors have recommended that the Aviation Division be directly engaged to ensure the recovery of the outstanding amount.

The auditors, in their report, recommended contacting the Aviation Division directly to resolve the matter so that the recovery of the amount due can be ensured.