ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended its ban on Indian-registered aircraft from using its airspace for another month, with the restriction now set to remain in force until February 24, 2026, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Tuesday.
Under the new NOTAM, the prohibition will apply from January 25 to February 24, 2026, until 5:00am Pakistan Standard Time. The ban covers all Indian-owned, operated, or leased aircraft, including military flights, effectively barring Indian airlines from entering Pakistani airspace.
The PAA said the extension continues an existing restriction that has been in place for the past nine months.
Pakistan initially closed its airspace to Indian airlines on April 24, 2025, in a reciprocal move after New Delhi suspended the Indus Waters Treaty amid heightened bilateral tensions following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Following Pakistan’s decision, India responded by shutting its airspace to Pakistani airlines on April 30. Pakistan later extended the restriction on May 23 for an additional month.
Tensions escalated further on May 6–7, when India launched attacks on multiple Pakistani cities. In response, Pakistan’s armed forces carried out a large-scale retaliatory operation, titled “Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” targeting several Indian military installations across different regions.
According to Pakistani officials, the operation resulted in the downing of seven Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, as well as dozens of drones. Hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours lasted for nearly 87 hours before a ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States, came into effect on May 10.
While India’s aviation sector has reportedly suffered significant financial losses due to the prolonged airspace restrictions, Pakistani aviation has experienced minimal impact.
Pakistan has imposed similar airspace closures in the past, notably during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, both of which resulted in greater disruptions for Indian aviation compared to Pakistan.
