Pakistan to extend airspace ban for Indian flights by another month?

Pakistan is set to extend its airspace ban on Indian flights for another month, amid rising tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor strikes on Pakistan and PoK terror sites.

India Pakistan airspace

Image Credit: Asianet News

Pakistan is likely to extend its ban on Indian flights using its airspace by another month, according to a report by Geo News. The decision is expected to be officially announced by May 23, with a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to be issued soon.

This move continues Pakistan's airspace closure, which was first imposed last month. The ban came after India launched military action in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, that killed 26 people.

Under international rules set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), countries cannot close their airspace for more than 30 days at a time without renewing the order. Pakistan had earlier restricted its airspace until May 23, and now plans to extend it again.

Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained since the Pahalgam terror attack. In response to the attack, India carried out a series of precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps and military facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

India says it hit at least eight military targets in the early hours of May 10 after Pakistan attempted to strike Indian military bases. Indian defence sources claim that Pakistan later asked India to stop its operations.

This is not the first time Pakistan has used airspace restrictions during periods of conflict. Similar bans were put in place during the 1999 Kargil War and after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.

As tensions remain, the airspace closure is seen as both a political and strategic signal, affecting international air routes and flight times for airlines operating in the region.