Pakistan extends airspace ban for Indian aircraft until February 24

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A photo of an Air India plane. —AFP/File
A photo of an Air India plane. —AFP/File

The Pakistan Airports Authority has extended the airspace ban for Indian aircraft until February 24 for another month, according to a Notam (notice to airmen) issued on Tuesday.

The extension in the ban has been notified just three days before the restriction, last extended on December 17, was set to expire on January 23.

India and Pakistan have closed their airspaces to each other’s airlines since tensions between them escalated in late April in the wake of an attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people.

According to the latest Notam, Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed for India-registered aircraft until 5am on February 24, extending the restriction that is already in place.

The restriction applies to all India-registered aircraft as well as any aircraft operated, owned, or leased by Indian airlines or operators, including military flights.

The airspace closure applies from ground level up to unlimited altitude.

Pakistan’s airspace is divided into two flight information regions (FIRs) — Karachi and Lahore, according to a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) document from 2022. The Notam applies to both the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) FIRs.

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