Asian – Dispatch

Pakistan has extended its airspace closure for all Indian-registered and Indian-operated aircraft, including military planes, for another month, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed on Friday.

A new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) reaffirms that Indian commercial airlines, India-registered aircraft, and military flights remain barred from entering Pakistani airspace.

Pakistan initially closed its airspace after New Delhi suspended the Indus Water Treaty, following the attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). In response, India blocked Pakistani airlines from its own airspace on April 30. Pakistan then extended its restriction on May 23.

The latest decision means the closure has now been in effect for 210 consecutive days.

On May 6–7, India carried out strikes on multiple Pakistani cities.

Pakistan responded with a large-scale operation, “Bunyan-um-Marsoos,” targeting Indian military positions across several regions. Officials described the action as precise and proportionate, citing continued Indian fire across the Line of Control and into Pakistani territory.

During the confrontation, Pakistan reported shooting down six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, along with dozens of drones. The fighting lasted 87 hours and ended on May 10 after the United States brokered a ceasefire.

The extended airspace restrictions have placed a heavier burden on India’s aviation industry, while Pakistani aviation has experienced limited disruption, according to officials.

Pakistan has enforced similar airspace bans during earlier periods of tension. In both the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, India’s airlines faced significant route disruptions and financial losses.

Source: Pro Pakistani