Islamabad, September 7, 2024 – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, announced on Saturday that the government is making all-out efforts to restore Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to and from the United Kingdom.
Dar, addressing the Pakistan diaspora in the UK during his official visit, assured that the government is working swiftly to resolve the matter.
“We have taken every possible measure, including updating our aviation laws to meet the latest requirements of the UK Civil Aviation Authority. This is all in an effort to resume PIA flights,” Dar said. He attributed the grounding of PIA flights in Europe, the UK, and other Western nations to a previous government official’s irresponsible statement. This reference pointed to an incident under the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government, which caused a significant blow to PIA’s operations abroad.
In addition to reinstating flight operations, Dar revealed that the government is also taking steps to privatize Pakistan Airlines (PIA) and outsource Islamabad International Airport. “The privatization process is progressing rapidly, and we hope to complete it by October 10,” he added, underscoring the urgency with which the government is acting to stabilize the country’s aviation sector.
The deputy prime minister emphasized the long-standing partnership between Pakistan and the UK, noting that a key component of this bilateral relationship is the vibrant Pakistani diaspora in Britain. “British Pakistanis have shown themselves to be an articulate, diverse, and influential community. They are contributing immensely to the development of both the UK and Pakistan,” he stated.
Dar also highlighted the political involvement of British Pakistanis, stating that they are the most politically active overseas community in the UK. “We have two cabinet members, 15 Members of Parliament, 11 members in the House of Lords, and hundreds of councilors, mayors, and deputy mayors,” he said, illustrating the significant political clout held by the diaspora in the UK.
Looking back at Pakistan’s economic situation in 2013, Dar described how the country faced significant challenges. “When the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) took office in 2013, major international financial institutions considered Pakistan’s economy unstable. They predicted that the country would default within six months and estimated that it would take over a decade to recover.”
However, Dar noted that just a year and a half into the PML-N’s tenure, the government was able to set the country on the path to economic stability. He highlighted significant improvements during the PML-N’s rule, citing a drop in food inflation to just 2% and a GDP growth rate of 6%. By 2017, Pakistan had become the 24th largest economy globally, and the country’s stock market was the best-performing in Asia and ranked fifth worldwide.
He lamented the decline in Pakistan’s economic standing after the 2018 elections when the PTI came to power. “Due to mismanagement and poor governance, Pakistan’s economy dropped in global rankings, falling to 47th by 2022. This was a tragic reversal of our earlier progress,” Dar remarked.
Touching on security, Dar recalled the daunting challenges the PML-N faced when it came to power in 2013, including widespread terrorism, extremism, and electricity shortages. He praised the PML-N’s policies, which he said had tackled these crises effectively.
However, Dar expressed disappointment over the policy changes made by the PTI government in 2022, which he blamed for the resurgence of violence and terrorism in the country. “As part of negotiations with Afghanistan during the PTI’s tenure, 102 hardened criminals, many of whom had committed heinous acts, were released from prison. This decision had grave consequences for Pakistan’s security,” Dar stated. He specifically referred to criminals involved in the attack on school children and other terror activities in Malakand.
In closing, Dar reiterated the current government’s commitment to eradicating terrorism from Pakistan once again, vowing that they would not allow extremist forces to destabilize the country. He assured the public that the government is taking swift and decisive action to restore peace and stability across Pakistan.
The revival of PIA flights, privatization efforts, and the outsourcing of airport operations reflect a larger strategy by the Pakistani government to address both economic and security challenges, strengthening the country’s ties with the international community.
