Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian flights

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Airports Authority on Friday extended the ban on Indian aircraft flying through its airspace until June 24, 2025, ARY News reported

According to the Pakistan Airports Authority, the restriction applies to all aircraft registered, operated, owned, or leased by India, including military planes, with no exceptions for Indian airlines or operators.

The ban has been extended until 4:59 AM on June 24, 2025.

The Pakistan airspace closure, for Indian flights has been in effect for over a month, was initially imposed by in response to India’s decision to block river water flow into Pakistan. The ongoing airspace restriction has severely impacted Indian airlines, resulting in estimated losses of Rs 8 billion.

Around 150 flights of Boeing 777 and Airbus aircraft face additional travel times of two to four hours daily.

Indian airlines have already incurred extra fuel costs amounting to Rs 5 billion over the past month, while long-haul flights have faced additional stopover expenses totaling Rs 3 billion.

Among the hardest-hit carriers, Air India has already appealed to the federal government for financial assistance, estimating potential annual losses exceeding Rs 50 billion rupees if the ban persists

Air India has proposed a “subsidy model” to offset its losses proportional to the impact.

The decision to ban Pakistan airspace for Indian flights was taken in an extraordinary meeting of the National Security Committee meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif following India’s provocative move under the garb of the Pahalgam attack

It is pertinent to mention here that tensions have escalated between Pakistan and India after the latter’s baseless allegations against Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 persons, the majority of whom were tourists.

Without providing any proof, India accused Pakistan of the attack shortly after it happened.

India’s foreign ministry had announced to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance and close the Attari and Wagah borders. Pakistani nationals will no longer be able to travel to India under the SAARC visa exemption.

The Indian foreign ministry also announced to India recall all its defense attachés from Islamabad.