India closes airspace to all Pakistani flights
India has closed its airspace to all flights originating from Pakistan, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by Indian aviation authorities.
Illustration: Benews
The ban, effective from April 30 to May 23, applies to both civilian and military aircraft.
The notice states that Indian airspace is closed to all aircraft “registered, operated, owned, or leased by Pakistani airlines.”
The decision follows a deadly terrorist attack on April 22, when armed men opened fire with AK-47 rifles on tourists in the Baisaran Valley in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving around 20 people dead and as many injured. According to Indian intelligence, evidence points to the involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in supporting Lashkar-e-Taiba* militants behind the Pahalgam attack, as reported by the Hindustan Times.
In the wake of the attack, India halved the staff at its embassy in Islamabad, declared Pakistani military advisers in New Delhi persona non grata, and closed the key Attari border checkpoint. The Indian government also suspended a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan and halted visa issuance to Pakistani nationals, revoking all previously granted visas as of April 27.
Pakistan responded by closing the Wagah border crossing and banning Indian airlines from using its airspace.