Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until July 24, 2026

Pakistan has extended its restriction on Indian aircraft from using its airspace for another month, pushing the ban’s validity to July 24, 2026, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Wednesday.

The latest extension replaces an earlier deadline of June 24, effectively continuing the suspension of overflight rights for Indian-registered civilian and military aircraft.

Under the NOTAM, the restriction will remain in force from 5:50pm on June 16 until 4:59am on July 24, covering both Indian civil and military aircraft operations.

Pakistan’s airspace is divided into two Flight Information Regions (FIRs) — Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) — and the directive applies across both zones, according to civil aviation reference data.

The airspace closure between Pakistan and India has remained in effect since late April 2025, when bilateral tensions escalated following a deadly attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam area.

At the time, Pakistan announced a series of countermeasures, including the closure of its airspace to all India-owned and India-operated airlines, responding to steps taken by New Delhi.

Since then, the restriction has been extended multiple times.

India had blamed Pakistan for the attack without presenting evidence, a charge Islamabad denied, offering instead a neutral investigation.

Tensions escalated further in May, when both countries engaged in their most intense air confrontation in years, with Pakistan stating it had downed seven Indian fighter jets.