Pakistan extends nationwide airspace shutdown amid military escalation with India
May 10, 2025
Pakistan has prolonged a blanket suspension of civilian air traffic as regional tensions with India continue to intensify, following reported missile strikes and retaliatory military action.
The country’s airspace will remain closed to all flights – domestic and international – until midday on Sunday, 11 May, local time, at the earliest, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed on Saturday.
The decision follows earlier restrictions announced in a notice to flight crews (NOTAM) that initially closed national airspace from 3:15 am to midnight on 10 May.
The extension comes in response to an escalation in hostilities, which Pakistani media say began with Indian missile attacks targeting military installations including Nur Khan Airbase near Islamabad and Shorkot Airbase in Punjab.
In response, Pakistan launched retaliatory strikes, reportedly targeting Indian military sites involved in the initial offensive.
A PAA spokesperson told local media: “Airlines have been instructed to reschedule operations, and airport authorities remain on high alert nationwide.”
The conflict has led to growing international concern over the potential for broader destabilisation in South Asia, as well as the impact on already congested airspace corridors squeezed by the war in Ukraine and safety concerns linked to overflying parts of the Middle East.
Photo credit: FlightRadar24
