ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Wednesday announced an extension of restrictions barring Indian aircraft from using Pakistan’s airspace, prolonging the ban until January 23, 2026.
The decision was conveyed through a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), issued a week before the previous restriction was due to expire on December 24.
Under the notification, Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed to all Indian-registered aircraft, including planes owned, operated or leased by Indian airlines, as well as Indian military flights.
The NOTAM states that the restriction, which has already been in force, will continue until January 23, 2026, in accordance with the specified operational timings.
According to aviation documents, Pakistan’s airspace is divided into two Flight Information Regions — Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR). The latest NOTAM applies to both FIRs.
Pakistan and India imposed reciprocal airspace closures on each other’s airlines after bilateral tensions escalated in late April following an attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-occupied Kashmir, that left 26 people dead.
India accused Pakistan of backing the attack, an allegation Islamabad strongly rejected, calling instead for an independent and neutral investigation.
The situation further deteriorated in early May, when the two nuclear-armed neighbours engaged in their most intense military confrontation in decades. Pakistan has said it shot down seven Indian fighter jets during the conflict.
The prolonged closure has had financial implications for Indian carriers. In November, reports indicated that Air India had approached the Indian government to seek diplomatic intervention with China to gain access to a sensitive military airspace corridor in Xinjiang, which would allow shorter flight routes and help offset losses caused by the Pakistan airspace ban.
The restriction remains in effect pending further review, with aviation authorities continuing to monitor regional developments.
