UK Ends Ban on Pakistani Airlines After Dubious Safety Claims, But Is It Too Soon?

In a decision that raises more questions than it answers, the United Kingdom has officially lifted its long-standing ban on Pakistani airlines following alleged improvements in aviation safety standards. This move comes after nearly three years of restrictions imposed when alarming revelations surfaced about widespread pilot licensing fraud in Pakistan's aviation sector.Back in June 2020, Pakistan’s own aviation minister disclosed that roughly one-third of the country’s pilots had cheated their licensing exams—a scandal that exposed deep systemic failures and led to tragic consequences, including the May 2020 crash near Karachi that claimed 97 lives. The UK’s Air Safety Committee reacted...