Citing security concerns, Pakistan has reportedly put all airports across the country on high alert and announced the closure of specific portions of Karachi and Lahore airspace for four hours every day during May.
The development comes amid escalation in tension between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and Islamabad’s apprehension of retaliatory action by New Delhi. “The restricted airspace will be closed daily from 4 am to 8 am between May 1 and May 31,” said a news report published in a Pakistani daily on Thursday, quoting an official notice.
The Civil Aviation Authority said the closure would not significantly disrupt commercial flight operations as aircraft would be rerouted via alternative flight paths during the restricted hours, the report said.
The decision comes a day after Pakistan's national carrier cancelled all flights to and from Gilgit, Skardu and other northern areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir due to security reasons.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after terrorists killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday told the top defence brass that the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the Pahalgam attack.
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Pakistan had said on Wednesday that it had nothing to do with the Pahalgam terror attack and threatened a strong response if “provoked”. Addressing a press conference along with Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry and Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ishaq Dar demanded an independent and transparent probe into the Pahalgam attack by neutral investigators.
The press conference came hours after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar warned of a possible military action by India in 24-36 hours. Quoting officials, the Pakistani daily said the decision, being implemented as a precautionary security measure, would affect selected corridors within the Flight Information Regions rather than being a complete shutdown.
Authorities confirmed that air traffic in and out of major airports like Jinnah International in Karachi and Allama Iqbal International in Lahore would continue with minimal adjustments.
The Air Traffic Control authorities on Wednesday issued new directives to all flight movements, including foreign airlines transiting through Pakistani airspace, the newspaper said. It quoted aviation sources to say that strict monitoring has begun of all foreign airlines operating flights that either transit through or originate from Indian airspace. “No aircraft will be cleared without proper documentation and identification,” the report added.
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