Saud Bin Nauman Germany
Alhamdulillah. After a grueling five-year exile, the green and white livery of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has finally been welcomed back into the skies of Europe and the United Kingdom.
The ties that are knotted with hands often require careful and rigours efforts to untangle. A truth that holds particular relevance for Pakistan, a country that has endured economic strain, political turbulence, and an erosion of its international standing over recent years. Few episodes illustrate this more clearly than the crisis that engulfed PIA in 2020, when ill-considered public remarks by the aviation minister triggered a cascade of global restrictions. Within days, PIA’s flights were barred from Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plunging the national carrier into operational paralysis, reputational harm, and financial losses exceeding Rs 200 billion.
Recognising the scale and subtlety of this setback, the current government through coordinated efforts by the Foreign Office, the Aviation Division, and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, embarked on a comprehensive recovery effort. The strategy combined diplomatic engagement with comprehensive regulatory reforms, enhanced safety training, and strict compliance with international standards. These measures matured in 2024 and 2025, culminating in the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) lifting its restrictions and paving the way for PIA’s long-awaited return to Europe.
When the first post-ban PIA aircraft touched down in Paris on 10 January 2025, it represented more than the resumption of a suspended route. It signified the restoration of Pakistan’s aviation credibility and the rekindling of a long-dormant connection with millions of overseas Pakistanis. Across Europe, the diaspora sensed renewed hope that this revival could transform their travel experience, especially within Germany, home to one of the largest and most dynamic Pakistani communities in the region.
Germany hosts more than 135,000 Pakistanis, including over 11,000 students, 25,000 skilled professionals, and a growing cohort of job seekers. Remittances from Germany reached nearly USD 71 million in October 2025 alone, the highest among European countries. Yet despite their contribution, travellers willing to reach Pakistan continue to endure journeys that routinely exceed 14 hours, including lengthy layovers in Istanbul, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and other transit hubs. Whereas, restored direct PIA flight would reduce the total travel time to approximately 8.5 hours and eliminate the physical and logistical strain of transit.
The Pakistanis in Germany have a simple sentiment: why must only we endure such exhausting routes while a neighbouring country, against whom Pakistan has gained a victory in a recent conflict, offers its citizens affordable, comfortable, and direct travel?
The consequences of lengthy travel are most acutely felt during times of personal crisis, when every hour becomes a burden. I experienced this firsthand in 2021, when my father’s health deteriorated unexpectedly. The earliest flight I could manage was three days later, and even then included a five-hour layover, a period marked not by movement but by helpless waiting. Thousands of Pakistanis across Europe have lived through similar moments, where distance becomes a heavy emotional weight.
For those of us living abroad, life rarely unfolds in the company of our loved ones, yet many carry a simple, deeply human wish – that in death, we may return to our own soil and rest among our people. In such circumstances, a swift and dignified repatriation becomes paramount. Direct flights would ease not only logistical hurdles but also emotional strain, ensuring that families can fulfil such responsibilities promptly and respectfully.
Historically, Germany has been a key destination for PIA. Direct flights to Frankfurt were once reliable, well-travelled, and economically viable. Restoring these routes would reinstate a proven corridor that has served both countries well. Aviation experts widely acknowledge that resuming this profitable route would not only contribute to PIA’s financial rehabilitation but also bolster the carrier’s asset portfolio, thereby supporting a stronger valuation in its ongoing privatization process.
The case for restoration gains further momentum in light of the 2025 Pakistan–Germany Bilateral Negotiations on Development Cooperation. Germany has committed €114 million in financial and technical support for 2025–26, focusing on climate resilience, sustainable economic development, vocational training, and social protection. Strengthened connectivity would complement these initiatives by facilitating smoother mobility, deeper collaboration, and enhanced people-to-people engagement.
Beyond their immediate practical value, direct PIA flights would embody a deeper philosophy of connectivity, one that links societies, cultures, and institutions in meaningful ways. Such a route would symbolise an intellectual bridge between AllamaIqbal and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, two thinkers whose ideas resonate across continents and generations. For adventurers who have stood atop the Zugspitze, a direct link to Pakistan would open a pathway to the formidable slopes of Nanga Parbat, transforming cultural admiration into physical exploration. Diplomatically, this air corridor would form an invisible yet powerful line connecting the Bundestag in Berlin with the Parliament House in Islamabad, amplifying prospects for cooperation in trade, education, cultural exchange, and climate resilience. Ultimately, it would strengthen people-to-people links, and reinforce the evolving strategic partnership between Pakistan and Germany.
For the Pakistani diaspora in Germany, the hope is simple and deeply felt that the journey to Pakistan will once again be direct, efficient, and dignified.
[The writer is an accountant and a passionate journalist, based in Munich, Germany. He has a keen interest in socio-economic and political issues. His scriptures frequently explore the intersections of policy, finance, and cultural exchange, with a particular focus on strengthening ties and fostering dialogue between Pakistan and Germany.]
