New Delhi/Islamabad, May 1 (EFE).– Pakistan on Thursday partially closed airspace over Karachi and Lahore, bordering India, according to a source.
“The airspace over Karachi and Lahore has been closed in specific regions from May 1 to 31 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Normal flight operation will continue,” an official from the Civil Aviation Authority told EFE on condition of anonymity
Karachi and Lahore are Pakistan’s first and second most populous cities, respectively.
The partial closure of their airspace comes amid heightened military tensions with neighboring India following a militant attack in Pahalgam, one of the most famous tourist destinations in Indian-istered Kashmir, on Apr. 22 that killed 26 tourists.
Lahore lies just 42 kilometers by air from the Indian border city of Amritsar, while Karachi is between 625 and 800 kilometers away, depending on the reference point.
India has linked the attack to an armed group allegedly backed by Islamabad.
The decision to restrict airspace was communicated through a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM).
On Thursday, India announced the closure of its entire airspace to all Pakistani-owned and -operated aircraft.
This reciprocal move is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat punitive measures by the two nuclear-armed neighbors since the Pahalgam attack.
India has already suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, declared Pakistani military diplomatic staff persona non grata at its High Commission, closed all border posts with Pakistan, and revoked all visas granted to Pakistani citizens.
In response, Pakistan has suspended trade with India, barred Indian airlines from using its airspace, and warned it may suspend “all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement.”
Islamabad has also accused India of preparing an “imminent military offensive” following New Delhi’s pledge to take action against those responsible for the Pahalgam attack.
India has vowed to go “to the ends of the Earth” to track down the perpetrators and their ers, and to punish them “beyond their imagination.” EFE
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