Pakistan eyes early resumption of PIA flights to New York
Islamabad: Pakistan is actively working toward the early resumption of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to New York, following the successful restoration of routes to Europe and the United Kingdom.
This was discussed during an interaction between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar in New York.
Speaking at the Pakistan Consulate, Senator Dar said the government was committed to reconnecting Pakistan with major global destinations and facilitating overseas Pakistanis.
He emphasized that efforts to resume PIA operations in the U.S. were progressing alongside wider economic and diplomatic recovery.
The Foreign Minister painted an optimistic picture of Pakistan’s resurgence on the global stage, noting that the country had emerged from a period of isolation and was now experiencing economic revival.
“We have made considerable progress, especially in political and economic fields, in the past three years, despite heavy odds we are indeed a resilient nation,” he remarked.
He also briefed the audience on several major developments, including a cordial meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, during which key regional and global issues were discussed. Dar expressed hope that bilateral relations would continue to strengthen.
Joined by Ambassador to the U.S. Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, and Consul General Aamir Ahmed Atozai, the Deputy PM highlighted Pakistan’s improved international standing. He referenced high-level engagements with China, the U.S., and other global powers focused on economic and strategic cooperation.
Dar also pointed to a sharp drop in inflation from 40% to 2.4% as of January 2025 and noted the successful completion of the IMF programme as signs of macroeconomic stabilization and renewed investor confidence. He reiterated the government’s ambition for Pakistan to become a G-20 economy.
He credited PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif for guiding the federal and Punjab governments and praised the functioning of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in streamlining investment across key sectors.
In a show of appreciation, Dar commended the Pakistani-American community for their contributions to national development and their strong support during times of geopolitical tension, particularly during the Pakistan–India standoff.
He recounted Pakistan Air Force’s reported downing of six Indian aircraft and praised Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s leadership.
Highlighting Pakistan’s multilateral diplomacy, the Foreign Minister pointed to the country’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council and the unanimous adoption of a resolution proposed by Pakistan for peaceful dispute resolution.
On regional matters, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s outreach to Afghanistan for greater regional connectivity and said assurances had been received that Afghan soil would not be used for terrorism.
Senator Dar also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to securing the release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui from U.S. custody, mentioning various steps already taken.
Earlier, Ambassador Sheikh said Pakistan’s global image had significantly improved due to the armed forces’ strong performance in safeguarding the nation and urged overseas Pakistanis to contribute to national economic development through investments.
Concluding the session, he called the Pakistani diaspora “strategic stakeholders” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working closely with them to promote Pakistan–U.S. cooperation based on mutual respect and shared goals.
