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India, Pakistan extend airspace closure for each other
The restriction applies to all aircraft registered, operated, owned, or leased by Pakistani airlines and military flights as well.
India on Friday extended the closure of its airspace for all Pakistan-registered, owned and leased airlines till June 23, as per a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen).
The restriction applies to all aircraft registered, operated, owned, or leased by Pakistani airlines and military flights as well. India had closed its airspace for flights operated by Pakistan on April 30.
Pakistan also extended the closure of its airspace for all Indian airlines till June 24 on Friday.
Islamabad had barred Indian airlines from using its airspace on April 24 in response to a slew of punitive measures announced by New Delhi over the Pahalgam terror attack.
The rules of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) restrict such closure for a month at a time.
The extension of the closure of airspace comes amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours following India's precision strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.
Also Read | IndiGo flight was assisted by IAF after Lahore ATC denied airspace: Indian Air Force
Operation Sindoor was India’s direct military response to the April 22 terror strike at Pahalgam in Kashmir that killed 26 civilians in what was the worst attack on civilians since the 26/11 Mumbai strikes.
The announcement also comes a day after the Lahore Air Traffic Controller denied permission to an Indian aircraft to briefly use Pakistani airspace to avoid the turbulence.
Also Read | 'PAN PAN' call mid air: How IndiGo pilot landed turbulence-hit plane safely in Srinagar
As a result, the IndiGo aircraft operated on the original flight path, where it encountered severe turbulence.
The aircraft, carrying more than 220 people, was struck by hail, causing major disruptions to its flight systems. It landed safely, but the aircraft's "nose radome" was damaged.
