Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until May 2026

Rabbia Zafar | 8 hours ago

Pakistan airspace ban India extension

Pakistan Airports Authority has extended its airspace ban on Indian aircraft for another month, continuing restrictions that have now been in place for a full year. According to a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), Pakistani airspace will remain closed to all Indian-registered aircraft, airlines, operators, and military flights until 24 May 2026 at 4:59am.

The directive applies across both major flight information regions of Pakistan—the Karachi FIR (OPKR) and Lahore FIR (OPLR)—effectively barring Indian aviation from using Pakistani air corridors for international transit.

The previous extension of the restriction was set to expire on 24 April, but has now been prolonged without change. The ongoing ban has become part of a broader set of reciprocal aviation measures between Pakistan and India, both of which closed their airspace to each other’s airlines in late April 2025.

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The initial shutdown followed a sharp escalation in tensions after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam area. India accused Pakistan of involvement without presenting evidence, a claim Pakistan strongly denied, instead offering support for an independent and neutral investigation.

In response to what Islamabad called aggressive measures by New Delhi, Pakistan imposed counter-steps, including immediate closure of its airspace to Indian carriers. Since then, the restrictions have remained in place, forcing airlines to take longer routes, increase fuel consumption, and incur higher operational costs.

The situation further intensified in May 2025 when both countries engaged in a serious aerial confrontation, with Pakistan claiming it downed multiple Indian fighter jets during the clash.

The continued extension of the NOTAM indicates that no breakthrough has yet been achieved in restoring normal air traffic between the two countries, and the aviation standoff remains tied to broader political and security tensions in the region.