By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended its airspace restriction on Indian aircraft for another month, a move that underscores the persistent friction between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The ban, which applies to all aircraft registered in India, as well as those operated, owned, or leased by Indian airlines and operators, including military flights, will remain in place until 2359 GMT on July 23, 2025 (0459 PKT on July 24, 2025), according to a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA).
The restriction spans both the Karachi and Lahore Flight Information Regions (FIRs), effectively barring Indian flights from transiting Pakistani airspace at any altitude. First imposed on April 24, 2025, the airspace closure has been prolonged through a series of advisories, with this latest extension signaling no immediate thaw in relations.
Tensions flared in April after an attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam region that killed 24 people. India blamed Pakistan, offering no proof, while Islamabad denied involvement and demanded an independent probe. The clash escalated into military skirmishes, eased only by US-brokered ceasefire.
In response to what it called “New Delhi’s slew of aggressive measures,” Pakistan announced retaliatory steps on April 24, including an immediate closure of its airspace to all India-owned or Indian-operated airlines.
“PAA maintains [the] ban on Indian airlines’ passenger and military aircraft from using Pakistan’s airspace,” the authority stated in its latest NOTAM, emphasizing that all Indian-registered or leased aircraft remain subject to the restriction.
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