Pakistan extends closure of airspace for Indian flights till June 24

Pakistan on Friday extended closure of its airspace for Indian flights until June 24, according to a new NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority.

The extension follows the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules that restrict such closure for a month at a time.

The ban on Indian aircraft flying over Pakistan airspace has been extended until 4:59 am June 24, 2025, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said in a statement here.

All aircraft that are Indian-registered, operated, owned, or leased will remain subject to the ban, the PAA statement said.

This ban will also apply to Indian military aircraft. No flight operated by Indian airlines or operators will be allowed to use Pakistani airspace, the statement said. 

Under the directive, no flight operated by Indian airlines or operators will be allowed to enter or transit through Pakistani airspace, the PAA said.

Pakistan had banned its airspace for India last month after steps taken by New Delhi in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 people.

The ban was imposed for a month until May 23, as under International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules that airspace restrictions cannot be imposed for more than one month at a time.

The extension of closure of airspace by a month comes two days after an IndiGo pilot operating the Delhi-Srinagar flight, which encountered a sudden hailstorm on Wednesday, initially sought Lahore Air Traffic Control's permission to briefly use the Pakistan airspace to avoid the turbulence, but the request was rejected.