ISLAMABAD – The federal government has decided to keep Pakistani airspace closed for Indian flights for another month, a move that would caused massive financial losses to the Indian airlines.
Due to tensions between the two countries following the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan had closed its airspace for Indian flights for one month starting from April 24.
Reports said the closure of the airspace has caused Indian airlines a loss of 8 billion rupees in one month, adding that the sector had to bear additional fuel expenses of 5 billion rupees in one month alone.
Furthermore, the long-duration Indian flights had to bear an additional cost of 3 billion rupees for stopovers.
In April, the Civil Aviation Authority had issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), shutting airspace for Indian planes in response to the suspension of Indus water treaty (IWT) by India following Pahalgam attack.
As per the NOTAM, Pakistan airspace is not available for the registered civil and military planes of India. Any airplane which is even used by the Indian airlines on lease have also been prohibited.
Ceasefire Agreement
On May 10, Pakistan and India agreed to ceasefire agreement following calls from world leaders for de-escalation.
The developments came after Pakistan launched a military operation in response to India’s unprovoked air and missile attacks in multiple cities of Pakistan.
As the tensions heightened, major global powers tried to end the escalation. Later, US President Donald Trump took to social media to announce that Pakistan and India reached full and immediate ceasefire. The deal came after a long night of intense negotiations mediated by the United States, aimed at de-escalating the growing tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations.
Trump praised both countries for their decision, calling it a victory for “Common Sense and Great Intelligence.” In his message, he expressed gratitude for the cooperation of both sides, acknowledging the significant role played by U.S. diplomatic efforts in bringing the two countries to the negotiating table.
“Congratulations to both countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence,” Trump said in his statement. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The announcement marked a critical step toward easing tensions in the region after several days of military action, which had raised concerns about the potential for a wider conflict.
The two nuclear-armed nations had been on the brink of war, with Pakistan’s military claiming to have targeted Indian military sites after India launched missile strikes on several air bases in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
