Pakistan on Wednesday extended its airspace ban on Indian aircraft until September 23. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a fresh NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) announcing the one-month extension, covering both civilian and military aircraft that are Indian-owned, operated, or leased.

“All aircraft operated by Indian airlines will not be allowed to use Pakistani airspace. The ban also remains in place for military and civilian aircraft that are Indian-owned or leased,” the authority said.

The airspace closure was first imposed on April 23 for one month following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. The initial ban barred Indian carriers from flying over Pakistan. India responded on April 30 with a reciprocal airspace closure for Pakistani aircraft, starting a series of tit-for-tat restrictions.

The ban was first extended on May 23. In July, Pakistan further extended the closure until August 24, affecting hundreds of flights daily.

PAKISTAN LOSES RS 1,240 CRORE IN AIRSPACE BAN

The prolonged closure has hit Pakistan’s aviation sector hard. According to Dawn, citing the Defence Ministry, the Pakistan Airports Authority lost over Rs 1,240 crore (PKR 4.1 billion) in just two months. The loss stemmed from transit charges as 100-150 Indian aircraft fly daily, cutting Pakistan’s overflight traffic by almost 20 per cent.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif confirmed that the ban had caused significant revenue losses. “The closure has impacted our overflying charges and transit traffic severely,” he said.

The restrictions have created major challenges for airlines, forcing longer routes that burn more fuel and stretch flight times. Carriers have also struggled with crew rotations and scheduling headaches, all of which are driving up operating costs.

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With inputs from agencies