Pakistan keeps airspace closed to Indian flights until July 24

The extended ban came into effect at 5:50 p.m. on June 16 and will remain in force until July 24.

Pakistan keeps
Pakistan keeps

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended restrictions on all India-owned and India-operated aircraft from using its airspace until 4:59 a.m. on July 24, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued Wednesday by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA).

The restrictions apply to all Indian-registered aircraft, including commercial and military flights, the NOTAM stated. Aircraft leased by Indian airlines will also remain barred from entering Pakistani airspace during the period.

The extended ban came into effect at 5:50 p.m. on June 16 and will remain in force until July 24, according to the aviation advisory.

Pakistan first closed its airspace to Indian carriers in April last year in a tit-for-tat move after New Delhi suspended the Indus Waters Treaty amid heightened tensions following an attack in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). India blamed Pakistan for the attack, an allegation Islamabad has denied, calling instead for an independent investigation.

In response, India also closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines on April 30 last year.

Tensions escalated further after the Pahalgam incident, with India launching strikes on multiple Pakistani cities on May 6–7, 2025. Pakistan responded with a large-scale military operation, “Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” targeting multiple Indian military positions, according to official claims.

More read, Pakistan keeps its airspace closed to Indian airlines until April 24

Pakistan said it downed eight Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, along with several drones. A ceasefire was later reached on May 10 after mediation by the United States.