The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Friday announced an extension of the airspace ban on Indian airlines until June 24, citing ongoing tensions with India following recent cross-border escalations.
The extension follows accusations from New Delhi, which alleged, without providing evidence, that Islamabad was behind last month’s deadly attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan strongly denied the allegations and called for an independent international investigation.
As the situation escalated into a military standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, a ceasefire was eventually brokered with U.S. diplomatic intervention.
On April 24, Pakistan’s military leadership responded to India’s measures with a series of retaliatory steps, including the immediate closure of Pakistani airspace to all aircraft registered, owned, operated, or leased by Indian entities.
In its latest statement, the PAA confirmed:
“The ban on Indian aircraft flying over Pakistani airspace has been extended until 4:59 AM on June 24, 2025. All Indian-registered, operated, owned, or leased aircraft will remain prohibited from using Pakistani airspace.”
The authority added that the restrictions also apply to Indian military aircraft.
During the height of tensions earlier this month, both countries imposed reciprocal airspace restrictions. Pakistan had briefly reopened its airspace to all flights on May 10 following the ceasefire agreement.
The prolonged ban continues to disrupt regional aviation, forcing Indian airlines to reroute flights, leading to increased fuel costs and longer travel times for several international routes. As diplomatic efforts to ease tensions continue, the aviation industry remains on alert for further developments.
Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian airlines until June 24
