KARACHI (Kashmir English): The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) which temporarily closes specific air routes in Karachi and Lahore Flight Information Regions (FIRs) because of changing security conditions in the area.
The official NOTAM establishes a schedule that prohibits commercial flights from using specific air traffic corridors that serve these FIRs between 0900 and 1500 hours during the period from March 3 to March 31 of 2026 because of military aviation operations and increased tension in nearby airspace.
The affected air routes will not be accessible to commercial flight operators during these times, which will result in a complete suspension of all scheduled civilian flights that use these areas of Pakistan’s airspace.
The move comes as concerns grow over possible air force exercises and regional security developments that could impact safe flight operations. The closure applies after Middle Eastern military conflicts reached a new level, which has already caused extensive operational disturbances in the airline industry.
Multiple Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, Iraq, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and others, have closed or restricted their airspace, leading to the cancellation of thousands of flights across the region.
Pakistan International Airlines and international airlines that operate in Pakistan canceled or suspended multiple flights to Gulf destinations because at least 156 international flights to Gulf destinations have been canceled because of ongoing airspace restrictions.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) stopped flights to the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait because of the restrictions while flights to Saudi Arabia continue through longer alternative routes.
