PIA Secures UK License for Cargo Flights Amid Ongoing Challenges

The United Kingdom has granted Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) a license to operate cargo flights, marking a significant development for the struggling national carrier.

According to reports, the UK Department of Transport has issued a five-year license following an aviation audit conducted by British experts during their visit to Pakistan. With this approval, PIA will now be able to transport cargo directly from Pakistan to the UK. However, officials highlighted that the airline’s shortage of aircraft remains a major obstacle in expanding its international operations.

Despite this progress, PIA has not yet secured a Third Country Operator (TCO) license — a mandatory requirement to resume direct passenger flights between Pakistan and the UK. Recently, reports confirmed that private airline Airblue successfully obtained a TCO license, allowing it to operate direct services on this route.

Meanwhile, financial troubles continue to cast a shadow over PIA. The latest audit findings by the Auditor General of Pakistan revealed that the airline suffered losses of nearly Rs 9 billion between 2011 and 2016 due to the issuance of free and heavily discounted tickets. The audit disclosed that 190,724 tickets were sold at discounts of 25% to 95%, with over 116,000 tickets issued at just 5% of their actual fare — even to non-employees.

Additionally, between 2008 and 2017, PIA distributed 258,990 free tickets, leading to further losses of Rs 5.55 billion. The report described these practices as violations of financial discipline, highlighting weak internal controls and a lack of proper authorization from senior management. It also noted that repeated audit reminders went unanswered, while the Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) failed to address the irregularities.

These findings underscore ongoing governance and accountability concerns within PIA, even as it takes steps to expand its services abroad.