Pakistan has extended its ban on India-registered aircraft and airlines from using its airspace for another month, keeping restrictions in place for nearly a year.
The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a fresh Notice to Airmen (Notam), confirming that Indian-registered planes will not be allowed to fly through Pakistani airspace until April 24.
Pakistan has maintained this airspace closure since April 23, 2025, a move that has caused billions of rupees in losses for Indian airlines.
The closure was implemented in response to New Delhi suspending the critical Indus Water Treaty amid rising tensions following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). In retaliation, India also restricted Pakistani airlines from its airspace starting April 30.
Tensions escalated further when India launched attacks on multiple Pakistani cities on May 6–7, 2025. Pakistan responded with a large-scale military operation, “Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” targeting several Indian military sites. During the conflict, Pakistan downed seven Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, along with dozens of drones. After 87 hours of fighting, the war ended on May 10 with a ceasefire brokered by the United States.
While India’s aviation sector suffered significant losses, the impact on Pakistan’s aviation has been minimal.
This is not the first time Pakistan has restricted Indian flights. Similar airspace closures were enacted during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, both times causing greater disruption to Indian aviation than to Pakistan’s.
