Pakistan Fully Re-opens its Airspace for All Domestic and International Flights

Karachi: Pakistan has fully re-opened its airspace for all flights except for Bangkok, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur, a month after closing it following escalating tensions with India in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent aerial strike by Indian jets in Balakot.

Pakistan closed its airspace on February 27 following escalating tensions with India.

After the initial tensions, the authorities reopened domestic and international flights from Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar airports but kept the eastern airspace in Punjab closed due to security reasons except for some limited use of Lahore's Allama Iqbal International airport.

A top official of the Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said flights to Bangkok, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur would remain suspended until further notice.

The CAA official said that now all domestic and international flight operations had resumed from all airports since Tuesday but transit flights were still suspended.

Masood Tajwar, a spokesperson for the Pakistan International Airlines, said that since Tuesday all PIA flights on domestic and international routes were functioning normally except to New Delhi, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

"We are waiting further directions from the CAA on these routes," he said.

Earlier this month, the CAA partially opened the country's airspace after keeping it closed for several hours following a rare aerial dogfight between Indian and Pakistani jets.

A fresh notice from the CAA to airmen said that flight operations to and from following airports in Pakistan shall remain available as per operation hours from Islamabad International Airport, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad and Multan.

The tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours escalated after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack and a subsequent aerial strike by India on a JeM training camp in Balakot on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated the strike next day by unsuccessfully attempting to target Indian military installations. The JeM claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.