KARACHI – Pakistan’s national carrier is avoiding Indian airspace in the wake of the recent tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, it emerged on Wednesday.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which previously used Indian airspace for flights to East Asian destinations, is now avoiding Indian airspace as the two countries are practically on the brink of war or clashes.
Soon after the horrific incident in Indian-occupied Kashmir that killed 26 people, India blamed Pakistan for the deaths and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in addition to closing its airspace to Pakistan.
In retaliation, Pakistan also closed its airspace to Indian-origin aircraft and urged the international community to launch a fair and impartial investigation into the attack.
As airspace has become a new battleground for pressure, both countries are looking for alternatives to safely transport passengers to their destinations.
In this regard, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is now using Chinese airspace to ferry passengers to East Asian countries, Independent Urdu reported.
The development coincided with the cancellation of all scheduled flights to Gilgit and Skardu for Wednesday amid tight surveillance of the country’s airspace.
The measures are temporary and will be reviewed based on the evolving security situation in the region, although authorities have tightened surveillance by enhancing security protocols and issuing new instructions for air traffic control.
According to official sources, surveillance has been expanded to include all foreign flights passing through Pakistan’s airspace, with special scrutiny of flights from India.
The decision comes as part of a broader effort to enhance national security and ensure prompt response to any unusual air activity.
Under the latest security guidelines, any suspicious flight will now require a high-level clearance before being allowed to proceed. The authorities have also directed aviation authorities to remain on high alert and strictly follow the newly issued protocols.
In a statement late on Tuesday, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that “credible intelligence” reports indicate that India intends to take military action against Pakistan in the next 24 to 36 hours under the pretext of baseless allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.
The minister said that Pakistan itself has been a victim of terrorism and it truly understands the pain of this scourge.
“Unfortunately, instead of following the path of reason, India has apparently decided to tread the dangerous path of irrationality and confrontation, which will have disastrous consequences for the entire region and beyond,” the information minister asserted.
