How Pakistan can hurt Indian aviation by closing its airspace

The financial implications of aircraft flying West from Delhi being forced to take circuitous routes to at least 27 destinations would be severe

West of the direct flight route between New Delhi and Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhastan, lies the zone where every flight flying westwards from India's capital has to fly over Pakistani airspace. Even a direct flight to Kazakhastan's capital Astana has to fly over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to reach its destination from New Delhi. This part of the Pakistani airspace that includes Gilgit-Baltistan is classified as area control centre (ACC) - 1 of the Lahore flight information region (FIR). Pakistan has two FIRs – Lahore and Karachi – that control airspace north and south of the 30 degree