- PAA issues new NOTAM, restricting all Indian-registered aircraft from using Pakistani airspace
KARACHI: Pakistan on Friday announced extending its airspace restrictions for Indian airlines by another month, until August 23.
Following the government’s decision, the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) issued a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), reaffirming the ongoing suspension of overflight permissions for aircraft registered in India.
According to the NOTAM, all Indian-registered aircraft are strictly prohibited from using Pakistani airspace for any operations, including overflights and transit.
The restrictions were initially enforced on April 23 and have been consistently renewed since then.
The Pakistan Airport Authority maintains that the ban remains in effect until further notice and applies to all aircraft under Indian registry, with no exemptions granted.
Pakistan had initially closed its airspace for Indian airlines in a tit-for-tat move after New Delhi suspended the critical Indus Water Treaty amid heightened bilateral tensions following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Following the Pahalgam attack, India launched strikes on Pakistan, resulting in the martyrdom of several Pakistanis. In retaliation, Pakistan responded with its own attacks on India, prompting US intervention and ultimately leading to a ceasefire.
After the ban, reports indicated that Indian airlines suffered losses worth millions of dollars due to additional fuel costs from forced stopovers on long-haul flights.
