Direct Flights To US.

Earlier this week, reports emerged that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could upgrade Pakistan's safety rating to Category 1, allowing direct flights from Pakistani airports. Direct flights between the countries have been halted since 2017 when the FAA downgraded Pakistan to Category 2 due to concerns over Pakistan's aviation safety record.

As per reports, the FAA will soon send its inspectors to Pakistan to assess the country's airports and aircraft. If the country's aviation sector passes the test, there is a good possibility of Pakistan receiving a Category 1 rating. Due to the Category 2 safety rating, Pakistani airlines have had restricted access to US airspace and were unable to establish new routes or code shares with US carriers. A Category 1 rating on the other hand will allow air carriers to launch new direct routes to the US and establish code-sharing agreements with other airlines.

This breakthrough has come about after the Head of Prime Minister's Strategic Reforms, Salman Sufi met with US officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Bureau of South and Central Asia Elizabeth Horst...