KARACHI: Pakistan has extended the closure of its airspace to Indian-registered aircraft for another month, with the restriction now set to remain in force until March 23, according to a fresh Notice to Airmen (Notam) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority.
Under the new directive, all Indian-registered military and civilian aircraft will continue to be barred from transiting through Pakistani airspace. The closure has been in effect since April 23, 2025, and has now stretched to nearly 10 months.
Pakistan initially shut its airspace to Indian airlines in what it described as a reciprocal move after New Delhi suspended the Indus Waters Treaty amid escalating tensions following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). In response to Islamabad’s decision, India closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines on April 30, 2025.
Tensions further escalated on May 6-7, 2025, when India launched strikes on multiple Pakistani cities. Pakistan responded with a large-scale retaliatory operation, codenamed Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, targeting several Indian military sites across different regions.
According to Pakistani officials, its armed forces downed seven Indian fighter jets — including three Rafale aircraft — and dozens of drones during the confrontation. After nearly 87 hours of hostilities, the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours ended on May 10 with a ceasefire brokered by the United States.
Officials maintain that while India’s aviation sector has suffered significant financial losses due to longer flight routes and increased fuel costs, the impact on Pakistan’s aviation industry has been comparatively limited.
This is not the first time Pakistan has imposed airspace restrictions on India. Similar measures were taken during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, both of which led to greater disruptions for Indian carriers than for Pakistani airlines.
