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CAA Restores Air Traffic on Key Routes After India-Pakistan Clash
Pakistan restores airspace over major routes after India-Pakistan military clash; some Lahore region paths remain closed for 24 hrs.
ND
by News Desk
2025-05-07
CAA Restores Air Traffic on Key Routes After India-Pakistan Clash

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced the partial restoration of air traffic across Pakistan following a tense military standoff with India that led to the temporary closure of the country’s airspace.

According to a revised Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued on Wednesday evening, airspace over Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Karachi has been fully reopened. However, some routes in the Lahore Flight Region will remain closed for operational reasons until 12:20 pm on May 9.

The airspace was initially shut down for 48 hours after India launched airstrikes at six sites in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir early Wednesday morning. The strikes reportedly caused 26 civilian deaths and over 40 injuries.

In retaliation, Pakistan downed five Indian fighter jets and destroyed multiple Indian check posts, as confirmed by military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.

Following these events, the CAA suspended all flight operations, prompting airlines to cancel services and advise passengers to return home. Flights into and out of Islamabad International Airport must now contact Islamabad Air Traffic Control (ATC) before initiating operations to ensure safety clearance.

CAA spokesperson Saifullah Khan clarified that only a limited number of air corridors between Lahore and Islamabad remain restricted, and most routes are now functional.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed that all airports across the country remain fully operational and emphasized that Pakistan’s airspace is open and secure for civil aviation.

The government has lodged a formal protest with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), raising concerns over the risks posed to civil aviation by what it described as India’s provocative and reckless actions.

In response to the regional instability, the UK Foreign Office issued a travel advisory discouraging non-essential travel to Pakistan. Airlines such as Qatar Airways, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines, and Taiwan’s China Airlines and EVA Air have either rerouted or suspended operations involving Pakistani and nearby airspace.

 
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Islamabad

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IndiaPakistan

PakistanAirspace

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