PIA Cancels Northern Flights Amid Heightened Regional Tensions

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has cancelled six round-trip flights connecting Islamabad with Gilgit and Skardu, as regional tensions rise following recent military activity near the Line of Control (LoC).

The cancelled flights include PK-601, PK-603, and PK-605 from Islamabad to Gilgit and PK-451 from Islamabad to Skardu. Return flights PK-602 and PK-604 from Gilgit to Islamabad were also scrapped.

The cancellations come shortly after a reported air encounter in the region. According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), four Indian Rafale fighter jets conducted a patrol in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on the night of April 29–30.

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets swiftly responded after detecting the Indian aircraft. The prompt and alert action by the PAF reportedly forced the Indian jets to retreat.