Islamabad: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has described the removal of Pakistan's name from the British Air Safety List (ASL) as an important milestone. Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, he said the lifting of the ban reflects confidence in Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority's compliance with international safety standards.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Defence Minister stated that an irresponsible statement made by the Aviation Minister during the PTI government led to the imposition of a ban on PIA's operations in European countries and Britain. He noted that this resulted in losses of billions of rupees for the national flag carrier and hurt the national image.

Khawaja Asif expressed gratitude to the European and British aviation regulators for their guidance and support in helping Pakistan address safety concerns and meet required standards.

He further mentioned that the next phase involves the privatization of PIA, expressing confidence that the lifting of the ban on flight operations to the UK and Europe will help maximize the proceeds from the airline's privatization.