ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Pakistan has extended its airspace ban for all Indian-operated aircraft, including military planes, for another month, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on Friday.
According to a new NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), the restriction bars Indian commercial airlines, India-registered aircraft, and military flights from entering Pakistani airspace.
Pakistan banned its airspace for all Indian airlines in a tit-for-tat move after New Delhi accused Islamabad of the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on April 22.
As Pakistan called for an international investigation into the incident, India announced unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and demotion of diplomatic relations with Pakistan.
The latest extension brings the total duration of Pakistan’s airspace closure for Indian aircraft to 210 days.
Following the ban, reports indicated that Indian airlines incurred losses of millions of dollars due to increased fuel costs resulting from forced stopovers on long-haul flights.
This is not the first time Pakistan has imposed such restrictions. Airspace closures were previously enacted during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, both instances in which India faced greater aviation disruptions than Pakistan.
