Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian flights

Pakistan Airports Authority on Friday extended the ban on Indian aircraft flying through its airspace until June 24, 2025.

According to the Pakistan Airports Authority, the restriction applies to all aircraft registered, operated, owned, or leased by India, including milit 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 faced extra fuel costs of Rs 5 billion over the past month, and long-haul flights have also had to pay Rs 3 billion more due to stopovers.

Air India is one of the airlines most affected and has asked the federal government for financial help. The airline estimates that if the airspace ban continues, it could lose more than Rs 50 billion in a year. To manage the losses, Air India has suggested a “subsidy model” where the support would be based on how much each airline is affected.

The decision to ban Indian flights from using Pakistan’s airspace was made during an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This move came after India’s provocative action following the Pahalgam attack.

It’s important to note that tensions between Pakistan and India have risen after India made baseless accusations against Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

India blamed Pakistan for the attack without giving any evidence. In response, India also decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and close the Attari and Wagah border crossings. Pakistani citizens will also no longer be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC visa exemption.