The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has once again extended the ban on Indian aircraft from traversing its airspace. Pakistan has explicitly announced that this restriction will now remain in effect until August 24th.
PAA: Pakistan has once again extended the restriction on its airspace for Indian aircraft. This ban will now be effective until August 24, 2025. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has confirmed this decision. Under this restriction, all civil and military aircraft owned, operated, or leased by India will not be permitted to transit through Pakistani airspace.
New Notice Effective from July 18th
According to the NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued by the Pakistan Airport Authority on Friday, July 18, 2025, this restriction has been effective since 3:50 PM. The new restriction will be in effect until 5:19 AM on August 24, 2025. It is noteworthy that Pakistan had previously imposed the same restriction against India, which has now been further extended.
Not only Pakistan, but India has also banned Pakistani aircraft from entering its airspace. India has extended this ban until July 24, 2025. These restrictions between the two countries were imposed following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, in which 26 people lost their lives. In response, both India and Pakistan closed their airspace to each other's aircraft.
Airspace Ban Increases Tension
Following the April 22nd attack, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian aircraft on April 24th. A few days later, on April 30th, India also imposed the same ban on Pakistani aircraft. Since then, air routes between the two countries have been closed to each other. This situation is indicative of increasing tensions and deteriorating relations between the two countries.
A major reason behind this entire sequence of events is the 'Operation Sindoor' conducted by India. Following the terrorist attack on April 22nd, Indian armed forces attacked several terrorist hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan on the night of May 6-7. The Indian Army claimed to have destroyed 9 terrorist camps. In response, Pakistan attempted drone and missile attacks, but India's air defense system thwarted all of them. Since then, tensions between the two countries have not subsided.
