Op Sindoor fallout: Pak extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft till Jan 23

Pakistan on Wednesday announced a further extension of its airspace restrictions on Indian aircraft and pushed the ban till January 23. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said the restriction, which was due to expire on December 24, would now remain in force for another month.

 

Under the order, all Indian-registered aircraft, including those owned, operated or leased by Indian airlines, as well as Indian military flights, will continue to be barred from using Pakistani airspace.

 

“Pakistan airspace will remain closed to Indian-registered aircraft,” the authority said in a notification, according to news agency PTI.

 

A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued in this regard stated that the restriction would remain effective until January 23, 2026, during the specified operational timings.

 

Airspace restrictions imposed after Pahalgam attack

 

Pakistan had first shut its airspace to Indian airlines in April after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead. In response to the attack, Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, targetting terror camps and military installations deep in Pakistani territory.

 

The restriction applies to both of Pakistan’s flight information regions, Karachi and Lahore, covering the entire country’s airspace.

 

India has continued to maintain a similar ban on Pakistani aircrafts.

 

Move follows NIA's chargesheet in Pahalgam attack

 

The latest extension comes days after National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet in the Pahalgam terror attack case, naming Pakistan-based terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF), along with handlers operating from across the border.

 

The chargesheet detailed the alleged role of Pakistan-based operatives in planning and executing the attack, which involved targeted killings and resulted in the deaths of 25 tourists and a local pony operator.

 

Three Pakistani terrorists linked to the attack were later killed by security forces during an operation in the Dachigam area near Srinagar in July.