KARACHI: The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has concluded a weeklong assessment of Pakistan’s aviation safety system in Karachi, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said on Friday, a review that Islamabad hopes will pave the way for the resumption of direct flights to America after five years.
The audit, conducted with the PCAA, examined Pakistan’s legal, regulatory and operational framework. The FAA delegation will now return to Washington to deliberate on its findings before issuing a formal outcome.
“While the outcome of this assessment cannot yet be predicted, the track record of DG CAA Nadir Shafi Dar and his team — particularly their success in restoring direct routes to the European Union and the United Kingdom — provides reason for cautious optimism,” the PCAA said in a statement.
The five-member FAA delegation, accompanied by officials from the US Embassy, held extensive discussions with PCAA counterparts during the week. The review included verification of regulatory documents, evaluations of safety oversight mechanisms and briefings on compliance with international standards.
A second FAA team is expected later this year to evaluate airport and airspace security protocols in Pakistan.
