ISLAMABAD (AP) -- State-run Pakistan International Airlines resumed flights to the United Kingdom on Saturday for the first time in five years following the lifting of a ban imposed over a fake pilot license scandal.

The airline faced a ban from both the UK and the European Union in June 2020 after a deadly crash in Karachi that killed nearly 100 people, and subsequent revelations of pilots with fake licenses.

The European ban was lifted in November 2024 after extensive safety audits, clearing the way for PIA to restore suspended routes in January of this year.

The first Boeing 777 flight from Islamabad to Manchester on Saturday marked PIA's return following months of inspections and reforms that restored Britain's confidence in Pakistan's aviation system.

"The flight to Manchester is a remarkable beginning, but we are firmly determined to start flights to London and Birmingham next," Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif told a ceremony held at Islamabad International Airport.

Asif said in a televised address that the flights were essential for the more than 1.4 million Pakistanis in Britain and Europe, and noted that the remittances they send were the backbone of Pakistan's economy.

"Providing them with direct flights is both a moral and national duty," he said. "These services will save them time, offer reasonable fares, and provide direct air links to their homeland."

Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK, Mohammad Faisal, hailed the relaunch as a major step forward for economic and cultural ties between the two nations.

"This milestone will bring major economic benefits; generating substantial revenue, boosting trade and tourism, and expanding the movement of people and goods," he said at a recent event in London.