Karachi, March 26: Pakistan Tuesday fully opened its airspace, nearly a month after shutting it for commercial flights following escalating tensions with India after the Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent aerial strike by Indian jets on a training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Balakot.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced the complete opening of Pakistan’s airspace, with the national carrier resuming its flights across the country.
On Tuesday, two-way flights from Lahore to Islamabad and flights from Karachi to Multan departed as per schedule, said a statement issued by the national carrier – Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) – on Tuesday.
Flights have also been resumed for Bahawalpur, Raheem Yar Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan. Flights from Sialkot will resume from March 28, after necessary repairs are carried out on the Sialkot airport runway, it said.
Earlier in February, the CAA partially opened the country’s airspace after keeping it closed for several hours following a rare aerial dogfight between Indian and Pakistani jets. The CAA had also declared an aerial emergency, saying Pakistani airspace is closed until further notice. Pakistan closed its airspace February 27 following escalating tensions with India.
The tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours escalated after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack and a subsequent aerial strike by India on a JeM training camp in Balakot February 26. Pakistan retaliated the strike next day by unsuccessfully attempting to target Indian military installations. The JeM claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.
