KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has approached the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to have a restriction on its flights to EU states and the United Kingdom lifted after receiving approval from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) (UK). The national flag carrier announced that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has cleared the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of significant safety concerns, and has asked the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to lift restrictions on the airline’s flights to EU countries and the United Kingdom. PIA was restricted from flying to EU states, the US and the UK last year in July after the EASA suspended the national airline’s authorisation to operate flights to EU member states. The restrictions were imposed in the wake of the May 20, 2022, Karachi plane crash and a statement by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar that around 40 per cent of Pakistani pilots had fake licences. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) earlier this week expressed satisfaction over safety measures taken by Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The satisfaction with the safety measures has led to the removal of the PCAA from the list of the safety-significant concern (SSC).