ISLAMABAD, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed its flights to Europe on Friday after a period of four and a half years, said a statement.

A statement from PIA said that the national flag carrier proudly resumed its journey to Europe with the inaugural flight PK-749 from the country's capital Islamabad to Paris on Friday.

PIA's flight operations were banned to the European Union, United Kingdom and the United States in June 2020 after its plane crashed in a residential area in the country's southern port city of Karachi.

PIA flights to Europe resumed after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency lifted the ban in November last year.

Congratulating the countrymen on the resumption, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the closure of flights caused huge losses to the national airline and also brought uneasiness for Pakistanis living in Europe.

"The resumption of PIA flights to Europe will facilitate overseas Pakistanis," said the prime minister, adding that the resumption of flights to Europe hinted that PIA is moving towards progress.

The prime minister hailed Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Aviation and Minister for Defense Khawaja Muhammad Asif and concerned institutions for playing their role in achieving the restoration. ■