KARACHI: Pakistan extends the closure of its airspace to Indian aircraft for another month, with restrictions now set to remain in place until March 23, according to a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA).
Read More: Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft till February 24
Under the renewed directive, all Indian-registered civil and military aircraft will continue to be barred from transiting Pakistani airspace. The restrictions have now remained in force for nearly 10 months, having first been imposed on April 23, 2025, amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft.
To read more visit https://t.co/iBqvF8KVZC or https://t.co/8ZU3sZLvcR#Airspace #Kashmirdigital pic.twitter.com/xDb5gJDfNU
— Kashmir Digital (@KashmirDigital1) February 19, 2026
Pakistan originally closed its airspace in response to New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). India subsequently shut its own airspace to Pakistani carriers on April 30, triggering reciprocal aviation restrictions that continue to affect regional flight routes.
Tensions escalated sharply in early May 2025 when India carried out strikes on multiple Pakistani cities during the nights of May 6-7. Pakistan’s armed forces responded with a large-scale retaliatory operation, Bunyanum Marsoos, targeting several Indian military sites across different regions. Hostilities between the two countries lasted nearly 87 hours before a ceasefire was reached on May 10 with mediation by the United States.
Aviation analysts say the prolonged airspace closure has imposed significant operational and fuel-cost burdens on Indian airlines forced to reroute long-haul flights, while the impact on Pakistan’s aviation sector has been comparatively limited due to fewer overflight dependencies.
Read More: Pakistan extends India flight ban to February
Pakistan has adopted similar measures during past crises with India, including the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama standoff, both of which disrupted Indian air traffic more extensively.
Officials indicated the latest extension reflects continued security concerns and the absence of meaningful de-escalation between Islamabad and New Delhi, keeping regional air connectivity under strain.