Officials say a methane gas explosion has caused a mine to collapse in a remote area in restive southwest Pakistan, trapping at least 12 miners.

State-run Pakistan International Airlines has resumed direct flights to Europe following a decision by the European Union’s aviation safety agency to lift a four-year ban over safety standards. Pakistan's defense minister inaugurated the twice-a-week flights to Paris and vowed that PIA will expand its operations to other European countries soon.

Pakistan International Airlines resumed its flights to Europe on Friday six weeks after the European Aviation Safety Agency lifted its four-year safety standards ban, the state-owned Radio Pakistan reported.

Pakistan's state-owned airline, plagued by a history of deadly crashes and a pilot licence scandal, resumed flights to Europe on Friday after a four-year ban was lifted by EU regulators.