The move comes in the wake of a major Indian military operation.
Islamabad: Flight operations at major airports in Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot, were temporarily suspended on Thursday, May 8, amid rising tensions with India following the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
According to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), the airports in Lahore and Sialkot will remain shut for all flight activity until 12 noon on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Authority also confirmed the suspension, which has disrupted both domestic and international flight schedules.
Earlier, Pakistan closed its airspace to all commercial flights at Lahore and Islamabad airports, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA). The PAA has officially raised its concerns with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the "serious threats" to civil aviation safety resulting from India's "irresponsible and provocative conduct."
India closes 25 flight routes to Pakistan
India has closed about 25 flight routes that allow planes to enter Pakistan through the Indian airspace on a day when the armed forces launched missile attacks on terror targets in Pakistan, according to officials. Against the backdrop of rising tensions between the two countries, many foreign airlines have been avoiding the Pakistani airspace.
Three officials told PTI news agency on May 7 that around 25 flight routes that allow entry of aircraft into the Pakistan airspace have been closed until further notice. The closure will also mean that foreign carriers that were overflying Pakistan airspace after exiting the Indian airspace will have to take longer routes to their destinations, they said.
